"An ounce of prevention: counselor and health teacher perception on sub" by Amanda J. Knight

Date of Award

2025

Degree Name

Leadership Studies

College

College of Education and Professional Development

Type of Degree

Ed.D.

Document Type

Dissertation

First Advisor

Dr. Barbara Nicholson

Second Advisor

Dr. Tammy Johnson

Third Advisor

Dr. Conrae Lucas-Adkins

Abstract

This study examined middle and high school health teachers’ and counselors’ perceptions of the effectiveness of skills-based substance use prevention curricula as a means of reducing the prevalence of student substance use/abuse. A mixed-methods, nonexperimental research design was incorporated to discern these teachers’ and counselors’ views on the extent to which students were able to acquire specific alcohol and other drug (AOD) refusal skills after their participation in a skills-based drug prevention education curriculum. These skills were identified and approved by the Ohio Association for Health and Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.

Analysis of the collected data using SPSS v29 and Otter AI v3.0.0 indicated that middle and high school health teachers were more directly involved with the delivery of prevention education than middle and high school counselors. Both health teachers and counselors believed that communication, advocacy and decision-making skills were important for effective prevention education but struggled to find the time and resources to address these skills with students.

Both health teachers and counselors believed that prevention education should be introduced in middle school, and that lack of state health education standards and the continuity of such standards from middle school to high school were hurdles for all health teachers.

Subject(s)

Substance abuse -- Prevention -- Education.

Health education teachers.

Student counselors.

Curriculum and methods in education.

Education, Secondary.

Middle school education.

Ohio.

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