LifeSkills Training Elementary School Interactive CD-ROM

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase II SBIR application requests 24 months of support for developing and testing CD-ROM materials for a state-of-the-art drug abuse prevention program called LifeSkills Training (LST). 1ST is a school-based drug abuse prevention program targeting students in both elementary and middle/junior high school. The program's effectiveness has been well established with over 20 years of rigorous empirical research, and with over six years of long-term follow-up data. The proposed CD-ROM will be based on the original LST model and will consist of interactive animated material designed to teach drug resistance skills, normative education and general life skills to elementary school students. During Phase I, prototype materials were developed, reviewed and tested by focus groups. These materials will be revised, fully developed and tested during Phase II. The resulting CD-ROM materials will facilitate the adoption and utilization of a proven drug abuse prevention program in a flexible and engaging format. This product can be used as an in-class assignment or in a supervised school-based after-school program. In Phase II, the prototype material will be finalized, produced and evaluated in a randomized controlled field trial. This project offers the potential for extending the reach of an already proven prevention approach to elementary school students in an interactive, engaging and flexible manner.