“Let's Talk About Drugs”: Pilot study of a community‐level drug prevention intervention based on motivational interviewing principles

Abstract

Purpose

The feasibility of a community‐level drug prevention intervention based upon the principles of motivational interviewing within a further education college was investigated in a pilot study.

Design/methodology/approach

The implementation over the course of a single term of “Let's Talk about Drugs” was studied with both action research methods and a quasi‐experimental design.

Findings

Modest qualitative evidence of attitudinal and environmental benefit provides some optimism that intervention of greater duration may have the capacity to produce more substantial impact.

Research limitations/implications

The sustainability of the achieved institutional changes following the delivery of this intervention, most notably centring upon a revised drug policy, is questionable. No quantitative data on reduced drug use behaviour or associated problems directly attributable to intervention was obtained.

Originality/value

Further education colleges offer relatively unexplored opportunities for drug prevention and harm reduction, at both individual and community levels. Three major lessons were learned: for the motivational interviewing approach to be applied with meaningful potential to effectively shaping behaviour at the college level, greater input is required; quasi‐experimental methods for evaluation are feasible and appropriate; and intervention must be coherent with, and shaped by, the specific college context.

Citation

Newbery, N., McCambridge, J. and Strang, J. (2007), "“Let's Talk About Drugs”: Pilot study of a community‐level drug prevention intervention based on motivational interviewing principles", Health Education, Vol. 107 No. 3, pp. 276-289. https://doi.org/10.1108/09654280710742573