Me and the Others – A Prevention Approach on Alcohol

Patrícia Pissarra and Raul Melo – SICAD/DIP/DPIC – Portugal

Introduction

• The Me and the Other’s Project was created in 2006 by a team from the Institute of Drug and Drug Addiction of Portugal (IDT).

• This Project was aimed at promoting a better knowledge and utilization of resources linked with drugs and drugs misuse, like the official website (www.idt.pt and www.tu-alinhas.pt), the help-line (Linha1414), email, chat, etc.

• It can be consider as an universal preventive approach but it has also been used as a resource in selective approaches

Methodological Base • Played Approach – Game based on interactive narratives that take

different paths according to the options/decisions of the players at the end of each segment of the story - (Rotation system of the decider)

• Computer based support – The material is presented to the players in a power-point presentation with links along the stories for interesting websites related with the themes.

• Group Intervention – The game can be played from 6 to 20 players

• The Game Masters (GM) – one or two mediators of the debate, protectors of the decision maker, “Devil’s Advocate”…

• Action / Reflection / Action - Development of themes from the integration of the experience promoted by a Group Dynamic.

Formal Basis

• 9 Characters – stereotypes of youth

cultures

• 9 Interactive Narratives – themes

connected with the adolescence; the approach to

psychoactive substances go hand in hand with a

whole range of broader themes promoting an

integrated view of life dynamics

• Support Manual

• Electronic Support – CD ROM, Site, Box

• 9 Characters

João “Patas”

(Dread)

Maria “Sorriso”

(Freak) Emanuel “Immãn”

(NERD)

Jamal “Ike”

(Surf)

Alice “Alie”

(Street Fashion)

Daniel

“Botecas”

(Foreigner)

Catarina

(Gótic)

Sabrina

(Snob)

The creation of the characters was done by using

the site to gather people’s opinions - questionnaire

with a wide range of features - name, age, family,

hobbies, education, interests, personal

characteristics (desires, dreams, fears, secrets, ...)

Martim

(Handicapped Person)

Contents of the narratives I

• Story 1 – “Growing up” - The use of chemical substances as a way to

control appetite; accessibility of alcohol to minors; the myths associated with adult

status: alcohol, sexuality;

• Story 2 – “Friendships” - Managing Conflicts; Cannabis use; Bodybuilding

and steroids;

• Story 3 – “The School” - Bullying; suffering signs; effects of tobacco; the law –

using tobacco in public places; mutual aid;

• Story 4 – “The Family” - The family dynamic – rules, rituals, communication;

rise of drug use that leads to dependence; schemes associated with drug addiction;

treatment system; school Drop out; secrets and peer help

• Story 5 – “Love and Passion” - attraction and seduction games; sexuality

and contraception; violent relations and pathological jealousy; alcohol and

aggressiveness

Contents of the narratives II • Story 6 – “Law and Drugs” - possession, trafficking, etc.;

decriminalization vs. liberalization of drug use; strategies of dissuasion - Dissuasion

Commissions on Drug and drug addiction

• Story 7 – “Recreational Setting” - Stress management; Stereotypes

associated with drugs; drug use in recreational settings: Cocaine, Alcohol (shots), Ecstasy,

Cannabis; Outreach work; Responsibility - for those who can’t (already) take care of them

• Story 8 – “The Future” – fate and life project; Identity – the search for

sense and the none sense; ambient protection; trance, hallucination and paranoia;

• Story 9 – “Alcohol Related Problems” – Causes, Believes,

Behaviors - Binge Drinking, heavy drinking patterns, Effects, Alcohol and gender,

Associated Risks - driving, sexuality, violence and SPA use, Consequences – on

Health, Psychological Social, on the Performance (physical, intellectual,…), the Legal

Framework and types of intervention – prevention, harm reduction, treatment

Theoretical Base I

• To promote contexts of mutual influence – to argue,

resist to peer pressure, confront and influence others

decisions - Social Influence Model (Bandura)

• To anticipate risks and consequences, measure cost-

benefits, evaluate protections factors – to promote the

experience of bounding in a common responsibility for

ones life - Comprehensive Model (Jessor & Jessor)

• To promote the search for new information to support

decisions. Questioning common sense and personal

beliefs. Exploring the myths - Cognitive Model (Fishbein &

Azjein)

Theoretical Base II • To induce a pro-active attitude on the maintenance of

well being. Understanding health us more then the

absence of illness. Life as a management of several skills

and interests organized around a project - Health Promotion

Model, (Ottawa ‘s Letter)

• To understand and compare several readings of the

same narrative. To be able to re-write a story - Constructivist Model (Lecannelier, O. Gonçalves)

• To promote contexts of increased engagement

(maximum challenge balanced with high personal skills)

as a way reinforce integration, better relation with

reference adults - Playing Theories (Vigotski, Elkonin, Piaget,

Kishimoto ); Positive Psychology/Flow Theory (Csikszentmihalyi)

Development of personal and

social skills • Assertiveness - being able to say what he thinks and feels

properly;

• Communication skills - ability to interpret, position and transmit

ideas;

• Conflict management - identifying problems, finding

compromises, (re) defining trading strategies;

• Management of emotions - frustration resistance, vs.

sympathy. empathy, emotional resonance, ...

• Decision-making - Subjective assessment, assignment of

meaning, anticipation of consequences, ability to read the feedback,

critical analysis and be able to recast

• The Me and the Others Project integrates a program of

training with theorical/practical 24 hours plus 24 hours of

on the job training. During the training, we explore the

concepts (drug addiction, prevention, personal and social

skills, decision making) the game’s rules, the attitude of the

Game Master, how to promote group reflection…

• As a complement, the Game Masters has 7 more sessions

of planning, supervision and evaluation, along the year

• This training will be used by the trainees as a way to get

credits for the progression in their careers

Training

Structure

Central

coordination

Local Coordination

Support Team

Game Masters

(Teachers/Psychologists/Social workers/Social animators/University students )

ARS

Norte

ARS

Centro

ARS

Lisboa V.Tejo

ARS

Alentejo

ARS

Algarve

Partnership – Education Ministry, Youth Institute, Law Enforcement,

Commission for Gender Equality, Commission for Tobacco Prevention

Educacional

Local

Coordinators

Local Teams

for Gender

Equality

Universities

Police Force “Safety Schools”

Youth

Institute

Health

Prevention

Teams

Evaluation

• The Me and the Others Project has a very complete process

evaluation that collects information on the group characterization.

planning process, implementation process and satisfaction of

players, game masters and support team;

• After having started with the impact evaluation using the Richards,

Ellis and Neils Short version of ROPELOC/LEQ (Life Effectiveness

Questionaire, 2003) with a sample of 750 questionnaires (each group),

our next step was to build specific evaluation instruments design to

aim the objectives of the intervention – knowledge, attitudes, behaviors,

self efficacy

Results

Sample of 2 955 subjects – from 9 to 23 years old

from the 5th to 12th of school, and from classes from the Integrated Program of

Training and Education (1st and 2th level)

Efects 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12

Time Management 0,04** **0,13 **0,12

Social Competence -0,06 **0,06 **0,06

Achievement Motivation -0,22 -0,03 -0,081

Intellectual Flexibility -0,02 **0,07 **0,05

Task Leadership 0,10* **0,24 **0,11

Emotional Control 0,07* **0,22 **0,14

Active Initiative -0,03 **0,06 **0,04

Self Confidence -0,01 **0,04 **0,03

Total 0,01** **0,15 **0,11

The green bar represent the improved effects in our sample. It is evident in all factors the positive effect

of auto efficiency in general, with the exception in motivation achievement

Comparative Summary

2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/2012**

13 local Team

Game masters - 90

20 teachers

3 other professionals

67 university students

758 players

39 Institutions

18 local Team

Game masters - 262

178 teachers

49 other professionals

45 university students

3.493 players

65 Institutions

21 local Team

Game masters – 544

9.459 players

145 Institutions

16 local Team*

Game masters - 543*

9.871 players

166 Institutions

16 local Team*

Game masters - 740

12 449 players

181 institutions

* It was not possible to gather the information from all the Local Teams

** In 2011/2012 the Education Ministry as change the distribution of the school

curricula, reducing drastically the time for health promotion interventions

Strong Points

• Good partnership for the validation of the different stories Education Ministry, Police Corp “Safe School”, Commission for gender equality,

Youth Institute, Universities,

• Easy application of the material

• Simple language and appropriate to the age of the players

• Good acceptance/identification with the characters

• Relevance of the topics

• Promotion of shared personal reflections

• Development of decision making skills (awareness of the decisions

taken)

Weak Points

• Lack of curriculum time for the application of the

program at the school context;

• Lack of e-learning support;

• Need for a more agile process of evaluation using on-

line surveys;

• Lack of a international exchange of know how

Credits

• Project Coordinator: Patrícia Pissarra

• Original Idea: Vanda Baptista, Raul Melo, Nuno Marreiros

• Creative Team: Nuno Marreiros, Raul Melo

• Staff: Joana Lamas e Vera Ribeiro

• Proof reading: Francisco Oca, Dulce Lamas

• Graphics – Filipa Cunha