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Peer leaders matter:
Effects of peer leaders’
substance use behavior on the
substance use behavior of
students in alternative high
schools
Patchareeya P. Kwan, Kayo Fujimoto, PhD &
Thomas W. Valente, PhD
Institute for Prevention Research & Department of Preventive
Medicine, Keck School of Medicine,
University of Southern California
September 26, 2008
Objectives
• To demonstrate the association between
peer leader status, peer leaders’
substance use behaviors and the
behaviors of students in the peer-led
groups of a substance abuse prevention
program
Methods
• Randomized controlled trial
• 12 session curriculum of Project Toward No
Drug Abuse (TND) (S. Sussman)
• Classrooms assigned to 1 of 3 conditions
– control; standard TND; TND-Network
• Data collected at baseline, pre-test data, and
post-test
• Information on substance use behavior and
students’ friendship and leadership networks
were assessed
Standard TND
Individual
students
TND-Network
Peer led
group
Peer led
group
Peer led
group
Analysis
• Post test data from approximately 500
students
• Mixed model analysis
• Variables of interest
– Last month drug use at post-test (DV)
– Last month drug use at baseline (IV)
– Peer leader’s last month drug use at baseline
(IV)
– Peer leader’s last month drug use at post-test
(IV)
Results
Regression of last month drug use at post test
Variable
Coefficient
Std. Error
P-value
Sex
-0.17
0.08
0.040
Age
-0.00
0.00
0.875
Last month drug
use (baseline)
0.91
0.05
0.000
PL last month
drug use
(baseline)
-0.35
0.09
0.000
PL last month
drug use (post)
0.32
0.05
0.000
Peer leader
status
0.17
0.16
0.278
Preliminary Conclusion
• Overall, peer leaders’ substance use
behaviors at baseline and post-test were
significantly associated with change in the
substance use behaviors of the students
they led
• Being a peer leader is not associated with
substance use behaviors at post-test
Implications
• Behaviors of popular students are often
mirrored by other students in the school
setting
• Peer leaders play an important role in
prevention programs amongst high risk
youths
• Utilizing peer leaders to model positive
behavior is fundamental
Acknowledgements
Steve Sussman, PhD
Janet Okamoto, MPH, CHES
Funding
USC TPRC is funded by grant DA 16094
from the Division of Epidemiology,
Services, and Prevention Research, NIDA