INTERACTIVE VIDEO FOR MARIJUANA USE PREVENTION

THIS PROJECT PROPOSES TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE AN INTERACTIVE, VIDEO-BASED CURRICULUM (INTERACTIVE VIDEO DISK AND/OR TAPE AND TEACHER CURRICULUM) DESIGNED TO PREVENT YOUNG ADOLESCENTS AGED 11 TO 13 FROM USING MARIJUANA AND TO HELP THEM HELP THEIR PEERS TO REFRAIN FROM MARIJUANA USE. THE STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERACTIVE VIDEO BY MAKING DECISIONS AT KEY POINTS IN A PROBLEMATIC DRAMATIZED SITUATION. DEPENDING ON THE STUDENTS' DECISIONS, THE VIDEO DRAMA ENABLES THE VIEWERS TO SEE THE EFFECTS OF THEIR JUDGMENTS ON THE CONTINUATION AND OUTCOME OF THE DRAMA. THE GOAL IS TO HELP STUDENTS IDENTIFY THE RANGE OF STRATEGIES FOR NOT USING MARIJUANA IN SOCIAL SITUATIONS WHERE PEER PRESSURE TO USE MARIJUANA OCCURS AND THEN TO MODEL THOSE STRATEGIES. THE INTERACTIVE VIDEO CURRICULUM WILL BE USED IN A GROUP SETTING, FACILITATED BY A TEACHER OR PEER LEADER WITHOUT THE NEED FOR MULTIPLE SETS OF EQUIPMENT. SPECIFIC AIMS OF PHASE I ARE TO DETERMINE THE BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES AND REAL-LIFE SCENARIOS RELATED TO MARIJUANA-USE BEHAVIOR; TO DEVELOP STORYBOARDS FOR THE INTERACTIVE VIDEO; TO DEVELOP A CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK OUTLINING TEACHING ACTIVITIES; TO SELECT THE INTERACTIVE SYSTEM WITH THE BEST COMMERCIAL VALUE; TO ASSESS THE STRENGTHS OF LIKELY MARKETS; AND TO COMPLETE THE SELECTION OF RESEARCH SITES FOR PHASE II.