High School Youth Peer Education Program an Effective Model to Prevent Substance Abuse happen?

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effect of the "Peer Education Program in Prevention of Addiction" on high-school students' knowledge of addiction and perceived self-efficacy in protection from addiction. Methods: This study was conducted as quasi-experimental through pretest, posttest, and a control group. The in-depth interview method and an open-ended question form were used to obtain the opinions of the individuals who showed a change at the end of the program about the causes of this change. The peer educators (thirteen females, sixteen males) were chosen from students in the 11th grade in three high schools (Industrial Vocational High School, Anatolian High School, and Girls' Vocational High School). The sample of this study consisted of 550 students educated by their peers and 550 students who did not attend any program. The data were collected using the "Socio-demographic Question Form," "Substance Addiction Information Questionnaire," "Self-Efficacy of Teens to Avoid Substance Addiction," and "Peer Education Program in Preventing Substance Addiction Evaluation Form." The data collection tools were applied to the intervention and control groups twice: before and forty-five days after the program. Statistical methods were used in data analysis, and t-test and chi-square test for matched groups. Results: It was found that the information and self-efficacy perception level of the group educated by their peers increased; the difference between the groups was statistically significant. No significant difference was observed in the control group. Almost all of the students who participated in the study provided positive feedback about the program. Conclusion: Peer education can be considered an effective method to reduce addiction in young people.