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Running head: TOO GOOD

Too Good for Drugs: A Research-Based Behavioral Intervention Program

Group Members: Jorge Gallaga, Calago Hipps, Filip Zivkovic

Johns Hopkins University

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TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS: A RESEARCH-BASED BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION
Investigation of the intervention program or evidence-based practice(s)

School accountability scores are shifting from strictly academic focus to include students

social and emotional learning (SEL), making an intervention that focuses on students SEL is

imperative. Thanks to the recent passing of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) schools will

now have the ability to have their accountability scored based on a non-academic indicator

(Department of Education). Uplift Education is choosing to use student SEL as their non-

academic indicator; however, the current school culture and climate are lacking spaces for

students to develop their social, emotional learning. Taking into consideration the shift in

accountability markers and the lack of SEL spaces, the following research will seek to validate

the inclusion of the Too Good for Drugs and Violence program behavior intervention program

on Uplift Education campuses.

When we considered our demographic as a network, we found that our students tend to

perform better when tasks are rooted in real world application. Too Good for Drugs and Violence

is an intervention program that specializes that promotes high schools students character

development as violence and drug-free citizens. The program consists of a pre-packaged

curriculum that can be adapted across disciplines and allows students to role-play different

scenarios to raise their emotional intelligence. The evidence based research to support the Too

Good for Drugs and Violence program was compiled from 700 students across six high schools

in the state of Florida, and the findings showed student growth in knowledge, attitude, and values

(U.S. Department of Education 2006). Overall, the program seeks to see significant growth in

student prosocial skills and the studies that have been conducted show that students have seen

significant gains when the program is followed to fidelity.

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TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS: A RESEARCH-BASED BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION
The depth of understanding for the implementation of the intervention program or

evidence-based practice(s).

Designed for high school students, the program specifically aims to develop students

character traits. The curriculum consists of 14, 60-minute lessons and 12 additional lessons that

can be infused with other subject areas across grade levels. Implementation of the program is

intended to be delivered by trained teachers or Too Good instructors. As mentioned, the program

includes lessons to develop prosocial skills, including goal setting, decision making, developing

healthy relationships, stress management, coping, communication, peer resistance, and

interpersonal skills. Activities in the curriculum reinforce positive behaviors to develop life skills

that are applicable in all subject areas inside and outside the classroom. Students engage in role-

playing, modeling, cooperative learning, and group activities and discussions. Of course, the

program incorporates the normative peer use and the consequences of drugs and violence.

Instead, the program encourages personal and social responsibility. A scripted curriculum is

included for teachers, as well as, lesson plans, student and teacher workbooks, and community

and parent components.

Too Good for Drugs and Violence (TGFDV) consist of five interwoven curriculum

components: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Bonding with Prosocial Others, Identifying and

Managing Emotions, and Communicating Effectively. The intervention is based on research

from both an academic and social perspective. The instructional approach of the intervention is

reflective of recent research on the neurocognitive functioning of children that shows the

adolescent brain to be a work in progress,' growing and changing throughout early and late

adolescence (Bacon 2013). Through a social-influence approach, TGFDV addresses prevention

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TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS: A RESEARCH-BASED BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION
research that supports the effectiveness of positive social influence and the risk that comes with

social pressure during adolescence.

The suggested implementation of TGFDV is 18 weeks or one semester. The suggested

frequency is one lesson delivered per week. In the studies discussed below, the results of

effectiveness were based on the following ratings: positive, potentially positive, mixed, no

discernible effects, potentially negative, and negative. The first study discussed below was a

randomized controlled study that met What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards and the

second study was a quasi-experimental trial that met WWC standards with reservations.

Analysis of the practice of the intervention program or evidence-based practice(s).

As mentioned earlier, both studies that were conducted by Bacon, included over 700

students from 6 schools. The first study was implemented in five different schools, same district,

and across 20 classrooms, while the second study was implemented in one school and across 11

classrooms. The demographics for both studies were similar. Both studies had about equal

amount male and female participants. In both studies the majority of the students were white, and

the rest were African-American and Hispanic students.

The research base for it came in general format where there was two groups, treatment,

and control group. Students were randomly assigned to either control or treatment group (Bacon,

2013). The students in the control group received the standard health and personal fitness

curriculum and were not exposed to the TGFDV curriculum, while the treatment group received

the implementation of TGFDV. The program took place during the fourth quarter. Which

indicated that the length of time needed for fidelity of implementation was nine weeks rather

than the programs intended 18-weeks (U.S. Department of Education, 2006). This also meant

that teachers had to give two lessons a week rather than one, as mentioned earlier.
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TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS: A RESEARCH-BASED BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION
The questionnaires were used for recording students responses. These questionnaires

assessed eight outcomes measures. The outcome measures assessed students intentions to use

marijuana and engage in fighting, attitudes towards non-violence, perceptions of emotional

competency skills, perceptions of social and peer resistance skills, perceptions of assertiveness

skills, attitudes toward drugs, perception of peer norms, perceptions of peer approval, and

perceptions of goals and decision making skills (U.S. Department of Education, 2006). The

students' responses to the eight categories varied but analyzing the data both studies yield almost

same results. The treatment group changed their views on many assessed outcomes.

Both studies showed that change when comparing treatment group to control group of

Perception of social and resistance skills along with Perception of emotional competence were

statically significant. This means that the change was big and that study helped students develop

those two skills. Perception of social and resistance skills was a nine-item measure in which

students indicated if they can tell the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationship and

if they can avoid unhealthy behaviors( U.S. Department of Education, 2006). Perception of

emotional competence was a measure in which students indicated if they feel comfortable

managing their behaviors and emotions. Both significant measures when it comes to age group in

high school and the fact that this study showed significant growth in both cases show that the

program itself is working.

Conclusions/lessons learned of the intervention program or evidence-based practices.

With the changing educational landscape, ensuring students are holistically developed

is becoming as important as their test readiness. After speaking to several members of the

leadership team at Uplift Mighty, it seems, that despite a campus focus on student social and

emotional development, a program such as Too Good for Drugs and Violence may prove too
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difficult to run. Uplift has a high turnover rate of teachers, and because there is an influx of new

teachers every year, it will be difficult to effectively train teachers to follow the program

guidelines to fidelity. While the research showed that there was a way to shorten the programs

intended 18-weeks into nine by doubling the lessons they teach, that would require teachers to be

well-versed enough to teach both lessons with the same high-level quality.

Additionally, Uplifts ability to train new teachers every year is another hindrance. Since

Uplift suffers from high teacher turnover, the consistency needed to successfully implement

TGFDV could suffer greatly. It was initially thought that the program could take place during

Uplifts designated intervention period. The intervention period runs every day and is treated as a

true class period in the schedule. However, after speaking to Kimberlea Jackson, Uplift Mightys

interventionist, the idea quickly lost momentum. Kimberlea explained that the intervention

period is strictly to assist students in their academic areas of need making implementing the

program with the current schedule.

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References

Bacon, T.P. (2013). Technical Report: One Year Study of the Effects of the Too Good for

Drugs and Violence Program on Middle School Students. Tampa, FL; University of

Florida.

U.S. Department of Education. (2006). WWC Intervention Report: Too Good for Drugs and

Violence. Institute of Education Sciences. Department of Education.Every student

succeeds act (ESSA). Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/essa?src=rn