Effects of a school-based alcohol education program with a media prevention component

The effects of an alcohol education presentation with a media component of public service announcements were evaluated. The presentation was conducted over three (consecutive) days with 10th and 11th grade students in a rural area of South Carolina. The professionally produced announcements focused on drinking and driving. 52 subjects were assigned by classroom to either of two treatment groups or a control condition. Both treatment groups received the educational presentation but differed in that Group 2 was also exposed to the videotaped announcements. Effects of exposure were evaluated in separate measures of knowledge, attitudes, and alcohol involvement, using a pre-posttest design, with a 1-mo. follow-up. Analysis showed an effect of over-all program on knowledge at follow-up, but none on attitudes or alcohol involvement. These findings and their implications are discussed in the context of previous evaluations of alcohol education programs and media efforts.