Educational Intervention

School-based educational fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) prevention curriculum for Native adolescents.

Ute Artists, Colorado or Utah, ca.1890. Wood, native-tanned, leather, pigment, glass beads, wool cloth, metal cones, feathers and bones. Yellow ocher color for a girl; would have used white clay paint for a boy

The intervention was an education-based fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) prevention program for Native American adolescents, grades 6 through 8. Formative work included conducting a needs assessment to identify risk factors and best approaches to early prevention intervention in Native American middle school children. A 19-session curriculum was developed that consisted of culturally-appropriate educational materials including lectures, research projects, experiential learning activities, and class discussions. The curriculum was accompanied by a videotape, project flyer, and informational program brochures.

Outcomes

Estimates of changes or differences in alcohol-related problems and the stability of those changes or differences. 

Medium/Mixed Level of Change

Beneficial changes in knowledge and attitudes were documented. 

The intervention had a positive influence on knowledge and attitudes. Changes in knowledge were greater than changes in attitudes. There was a mixed level of change; the ranges were 7.0% to 48.2% for change in knowledge and 5.4% to 30.3% for change in attitude. No tests of statistical significance of differences were reported.

Costs

Two domains estimating start-up and ongoing expenses. 

Start-Up Cost $ $ $ MediumOngoing Cost $ $ $ Low

Moderate initial costs associated with intervention development followed by lower ongoing costs. 

Start-up costs would include development of an educational curriculum, video, print materials, and training of prevention facilitators. If not incorporated into a school’s existing curriculum, this intervention could be expensive to maintain. It would require funds to pay salaries of intervention facilitators and renting of school space.

Cultural Engagement

Two indicators of cultural and Tribal/community contributions. 

Cultural Inclusion MediumTribal Inclusion Low

Cultural elements were incorporated into the curriculum. No Tribal engagement was described. 

Professionals, who were not members or leaders of the community, participated in the initial needs assessment. There was no Native youth input in the development of the curriculum. Native American cultural elements were reportedly integrated into the prevention materials, but no details were provided.

Participants

Demographic description of the people who participated in the research study. 

Adolescent; Native; Female, Male

Setting

Place(s) in which this intervention was conducted. 

School

Delivery

Method through which the intervention was delivered to participants in the study. 

Medium Group

Randomly selected students from two middle schools with high proportions of Native students. 

Out of 90 randomly selected participants, 85 students completed pre- and post-evaluations. The intervention was conducted in two middle schools with high American Indian/Alaska Native enrollment, but it was unclear how many students were Native or non-Native.

Staffing Needs

Credentials and/or background of personnel who delivered the intervention. 

Educator

Background and credentials of staff delivering the curriculum were not specified. 

School-based delivery of the intervention suggests that educational staff delivered the curriculum. Credentials of those delivering intervention or level of education or training to deliver the intervention were not specified.

Research Design

Methods employed to gather research data. 

Pre-/post-intervention data

Developmental stage of research

Stage of development of the evidence supporting this intervention. 

Early Stage

Limited, but promising, testing of this intervention supports an Early Stage of development. 

The curriculum and video were tested in just two schools, indicating an early stage of development. Statistical significance of outcomes is not reported so inference must be made based upon wide-ranging percent change with no control/comparison condition. The evidence base could be improved by adding more follow-ups, including statements of statistical significance, and having a control group.

Potential

Narrative offered by expert reviewers providing overall comments or evaluations about the intervention. 

This school-based FAS prevention intervention has potential to be effective and transportable. 

The study describes a promising educational program for early adolescent FAS prevention. The intervention appears transportable to different Native communities, but the content of the materials may need to be adjusted from region to region.

References

Primary 

Ma GX, Toubbeh J, Cline J, Chisholm A. Fetal alcohol syndrome among Native American adolescents: A model prevention program. J Prim Prev .1998;19(1):43-55. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1022665308526 . https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022665308526 .

See references for all interventions 

< Back to all interventions for Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders