SHAHRP School Health and Alcohol Harm Reduction Project Maura Kearney and Kate Watson September 2012 Glasgow Psychological Service & Inverclyde Educational Psychology Service

Purpose of the presentation  Provide overview of the intervention  Give information on its effectiveness in Northern Ireland study and the implications for Scotland’s implementation  Working with other authorities in the future

Problematic Drinking  Associated with: School truancy School exclusion Unsafe sexual behaviour Accident/injury Aggressive behaviour Peer difficulties Fatal injuries Addiction in later life

Object of the Research Project  Is a school based input effective in reducing hazardous drinking?  Will the harm that is associated with alcohol use in young people reduce when they have received this input?  Will a parenting component of the project support the reduction in hazardous drinking amongst young people?

What/who is involved in the intervention?  Guidance staff are trained to deliver a 12 part PSE programme over two years (starting in S2)  Parents are offered separate training and development evening sessions run by workers trained to deliver the parent programme

Assessment of Possible Benefits  Assessing alcohol cognitions  Measuring alcohol consumption  Measuring of alcohol related behaviour  Standardised and validated measures will be used

Scotland & Northern Ireland  Ireland & Scotland were historically different (Loretto, 1994) in relation to alcohol  Now similar prevalence of alcohol intake  Now similar lifetime drunkenness Alcohol Statistics Scotland 2009

Results of Northern Irish Project  Problematic drinking is predicted by: Having higher social self-efficacy Lower academic self-efficacy Better peer communication Less trust of parents Less strict parental rules on alcohol

Results of Northern Irish Project  Reduction in harm to self when drinking  Reduction in harm to others  Less units of alcohol taken  Knowledge about alcohol increased  Attitudes towards alcohol were more informed  Effects last up to 18 months post intervention

Northern Irish Project  2349 participants  13.8 years – mean age of participant  Culturally adapted  Project was analysed by the University of Liverpool

What the intervention covers  Myths & general information  Making choices/Alcohol & the body  Units & matching use to consequences  Alcohol & other drugs  Alcohol & the media/How reduce harm?  Real scenarios & debates

What the project entails?  All schools will have pre & post measures  Experimental schools will have staff trained in the materials  Parents will be offered parenting classes  Implementation will take 2 years – S2 & S3

British Medical Journal  “Much more money should be spent in attempting to replicate and develop endeavours that have produced positive outcomes such as the … school health and alcohol harm reduction programme (SHAHRP), a harm minimisation programme for school students”. BMJ 2004

Glasgow & Inverclyde  33 secondary schools involved across the 2 authorities  50% control 50% experimental  All pupils in S2 have undergone attitudinal assessments  Intervention begins in August 2012

Glasgow & Inverclyde  Utilising scarce resources effectively  Strategic focus  Evidence based approach to supporting young people  Applying universal principles and contributing to action research

Any questions?.