SPORT

COUNTRY: UNITED STATES

REGION: AMERICAS

Developer: Brief Programs for Health

Partners: Funding from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Program Overview: SPORT is a brief intervention aimed at improving outcomes for health behaviors among high school students, with a focus on fitness and alcohol consumption.

Program Design: This intervention is based mainly in the Behavior Image Model, which suggests that brief interventions for young people combine the promotion of healthy behaviors with the prevention of negative ones¹. Therefore, SPORT used a brief intervention to promote fitness and reduce alcohol consumption among high school students. For the intervention students were given a brief health and fitness screening instrument prior to the brief intervention. Results from this screening questionnaire were used in order to provide personalized feedback during the brief interventions session. Sessions were conducted by trained health professionals during normal class periods, but given in a private one-on-one session. In addition to their personalized feedback, students also received information about fitness and alcohol consumption, and how alcohol consumption can be detrimental to fitness goals. At the end of the sessions students are given informational material as well.

Evaluation: Students from a high school in Florida were recruited for participation and randomly assigned to either the control or intervention group. Data were collected through a pre test, post test at 3 months after the intervention, and a follow up at 12 months after the intervention. Questionnaires collected data on alcohol consumption, drug use behaviors, and risk factors. Alcohol consumption items assessed past 30-day quantity and frequency, frequency of consuming 5 or more drinks, alcohol-related negative consequences, how long a student has been drinking, and stage of initiation.

Key findings²: Results from the post test and 12 month follow-up showed positive effects of the intervention.

At 3 month post-test data showed statistically significant differences in the following measures:

• lower past 30-day frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption; and 30-day consumption of 5 or more drinks in one occasion
• fewer students reporting alcohol consumption initiation
• more protective factors, including parental monitoring and communication, perceived susceptibility, and expectancies

At 12 months after the interventions differences in alcohol related measures between intervention and controls were not significant, but trends in the desired direction persisted.

Program Website: preventionpluswellness.com

References:

1. Werch, C. (2007). The Behavior-Image Model: A paradigm for integrating prevention and health promotion in brief interventions. Health Education Research, 22(5), 677-690.

2. Werch, C., Moore, M. J., DiClemente, C. C., Bledsoe, R., & Jobli, E. (2005). A multihealth behavior intervention integrating physical activity and substance use prevention for adolescents. Prevention Science, 6(3), 213-226.

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