Crossroads: A Cooperative Approach to High School Drug Prevention

Crossroads is a state-of-the-art drug prevention program that partners college and high school students to enhance high school drug prevention programming. By combining the proven approaches of peer education, technology-enhanced learning, social norms campaigns, and interactive strategies, health students receive and actively participate in a variety of experiences designed to impact key mediating variables and substance use outcomes. A randomized field study was conducted in high schools in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Nebraska. Schools were randomly assigned to a Crossroads classroom condition, Crossroads school-wide condition, full Crossroads, or a comparison condition, and pretest/posttest survey data was collected. A sample of teachers and students participated in classroom observations and group interviews. Mediators such as decision making, norms regarding peer acceptance and prevalence of drug use, and resistance skills have been key components of successful drug prevention programs and were strengthened in this study in the immediate and long-term. Furthermore, program effects were observed for several behavioral outcomes including monthly alcohol use, alcohol intentions, intentions to use drugs in general, and intentions to use cigarettes. Findings suggest that Crossroads is innovative in its use of college mentors, peer educators, and technology. It also shows promise for positively impacting drug-related attitudes and behaviors of high school students.