Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)
Effectiveness

No Effect

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No Effect

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Life periods served
Where the program was applied
Country of application
Description

This is a prevention program focused on teaching students skills to resist social pressure to use drugs.
The aim is to promote the development of self-esteem, stress management skills, assertiveness, communication skills, risk assessment, and decision-making by young people. The program is run by a uniformed police officer and is divided into 17 classes, one per week.

Impact evaluations

An impact evaluation showed a significant delay in the onset of alcohol use one year after the program's intervention. However, no impact of the program was found on the use of cigarettes or cannabis, attitude toward the police, coping strategies, attachment and commitment to school, or rebellious behavior [1].
A second impact evaluation found no statistically significant differences between students in the treatment group and students in the control group in overall substance use (cigarettes and alcohol), nor in students' attitude toward drug abuse or their levels of self-esteem two years after the intervention [2].
A third impact evaluation found no statistically significant differences between students in the treatment group and students in the control group either in overall substance use (cigarettes, alcohol, and cannabis) or in students' attitude toward drug abuse five years after the intervention [3].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Harmon, M. A. (1993). Reducing the Risk of Drug Involvement Among Early Adolescents. Evaluation Review, 17(2), 221–239. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193841X9301700206

[2] Ennett, S. T., Rosenbaum, D.P., Flewelling, R. L. Bieler, G. S., Ringwalt, C. L., & Bailey, S. L. (1994). Long-term Evaluation of Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Addictive Behaviors 19, 113–25. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0306460394900361?…

[3] Clayton, R. R., Cattarello, A. M. & Johnstone, B. M. (1996). The Effectiveness of Drug Abuse Resistance Education (Project DARE): 5-Year Follow-Up Results. Preventive Medicine 25, 307–18. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091743596900614…