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Prevention Education at Every Age
In the mid-1970s, in response to the growing and debilitating drug epidemic facing our country's youth, the Mendez Foundation began to focus on educating students about the social and health consequences of substance abuse. Since then, our signature Too Good for Drugs program has used research and evidence-based methods to help children develop the social and emotional skills to build positive friendships, communicate effectively, resist peer pressure and influence, and make healthy choices.
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Still Growing
The development and application of social emotional skills, coupled with drug awareness education, inform teens of the serious negative consequences of underage drinking, substance use, and other risky behaviors, while preparing them to resist experimenting in the first place. What until recently was not fully understood is underage drinking and substance use can alter the healthy development of the teenage brain with long-term consequences on aptitude executive function. A recent Fresh Air interview on NPR, featuring Frances E. Jensen, MD, discusses the topic of her new book, The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults. Her book explores the nuances of the developing teenage brain, and outlines the ways in which teenage substance use affects that development. Jensen says, “The effects of substances are more permanent on the teen brain. They have more deleterious effects and can be more toxic to the teen than the adult.” Contrary to past myths of the physical resiliency of teens, current research shows the human brain is developing well into the twenties. Therefore, underage drinking and substance use can potentially impair development and lead to permanent brain damage. Jensen says “drinking can actually kill brain cells in the adolescent brain where it does not to the same extent in the adult brain.” The frontal cortex—the area of the brain directly related to memory and decision-making—is one of the last areas to develop. Teens engaging in drinking or substance use risk compromising their level of executive function. Children equipped with solid social emotional skills sets, as well as an awareness of the negative consequences of underage drinking and substance use, are better able to make responsible decisions that will keep them on track to reaching their goals. They realize there is much at stake, and they are well-informed to make choices that will keep them substance-free.
Read moreThe Benefits of Writing Down Goals
Children who set reachable goals for themselves make an investment in their future. As a result, they are more likely to make responsible decisions that will keep them on track toward their goals and resist negative influences that would deter them from reaching their goals. Six key steps can help students set and achieve their goals. Students must begin by naming their goals. And when students write down their goals it concretizes them. The results are so positive it is hard to believe something so simple can be so effective. According to Forbes Magazine writer, Ashley Feinstein, a Harvard University study compared a body of students who had not set goals, students who had set goals but not written them down, and students who had set goals and written them down. They followed up with the class ten years later and found that the “3% who had written goals were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97% of the class combined!” Furthermore, NPR recently featured a University of Toronto professor, Jordan Peterson, who conducted a classroom experiment with goal-setting and writing. Peterson began with the “’goal-setting theory’ [which] holds that writing down concrete, specific goals and strategies can help people overcome obstacles and achieve.” He asserts writing positively influences students’ motivations to meet their goals. Peterson designed an undergraduate course that moved students through a series of writing exercises related to their goals. The results proved positive, especially with at-risk students, to increase student retention rates and overall academic achievement. One student, formerly involved in drug use, even proclaimed it turned her life around. Peterson’s process encouraged students to “reflect on important moments in their past, identify key personal motivations and create plans for the future, including specific goals and strategies to overcome obstacles." Once students have chosen a goal, picturing the goal as it is reached will help students define what they are aiming for. A positive attitude goes a long way toward helping students reach their goals, so the next step is for students to say “I Can” to their goals. With goals in place, students must then think of how to do it. This, again, is a place where writing is beneficial. Making a checklist can help students tangibly keep track of their action steps. Which brings us to the next step—Go for it! Well-planned goals are ready to be reached. Once the goal is achieved, students can enjoy celebrating their success. Feinstein writes, “How will you celebrate once you’ve reached your goal? As we journey to the realization of our goals, it’s important to remember our vision.” Starting with a clear picture of the goal, as well as writing down the goal and writing the action steps in the process, keeps the vision alive. Learning these best practices in school encourages students to aspire to academic success as learning becomes a means to a greater end. Students not only have the satisfaction of meeting their goals but also the knowledge and confidence they need to keep setting and reaching increasingly complex goals as they grow older. With these goal-setting skills in place, students are emboldened to reach out to a galaxy of dreams.
Read moreAltruism and Social Emotional Learning
Social emotional learning has been shown to heighten academic success, ready students for the workplace, and help prevent risky behaviors such as substance abuse and violence. Furthermore, researchers at the Greater Good Science Center say social emotional learning cultivates in students an innate human altruism. Dacher Keltner, UC Berkeley professor and author of Born to Be Good, asserts “based on research in psychology, sociology, and neuroscience that we are also wired for good.” If we are wired for good, the theory is we need simply to harness that desire to act based on that hard-wired good. According to the Greater Good Science Center, much “compelling proof that we are wired for altruism, kindness, and compassion comes from numerous studies that demonstrate children as young as 14 months have innate altruistic tendencies, well before socialization can have a major influence on their development.” The Science Center cites 18-month olds who help other people without outside encouragement. In one case, seeing an adult who had his hand full of books, a toddler opened a cupboard for him. Still other researchers found “toddlers’ happiness levels increased significantly when they gave away one of their own treats rather than a treat that belonged to another person.” Toddlers’ positive feelings were reinforced by their desire to share their belongings with their peers. It is a sort of cyclical effect of the desire to do good deeds for others engendering good feelings which then prompts the further desire to do more good deeds. But how does this all tie back to social emotional learning? The development of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and empathy encourages children to bond with others in a meaningful way. According to the Greater Good Science Center, “fostering social and emotional skills helps to build classroom and school environments that bring out our innate altruism.” Cooperative learning environments that reinforce and normalize cooperative behaviors in children, in turn inspire children to carry these behaviors out into the world. In this process of bonding, children are likely to find the desire to share and to give, reinforcing what Keltner calls the hard-wired altruism that lies within us.
Read moreSocial Media and Underage Drinking
According to a study by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, children and teens who spend time on social networking sites are three times more likely to drink alcohol than those who don’t. This connection is not obvious on its face. However, the popularity of social media provides the alcohol industry a widening reach to market its products. And that reach extends to a large number of youth. Regardless of intentions, enticing promotion tactics capture the interest of children and teens, and this type of advertising, coupled with the ubiquity of social media, creates a formula that promotes alcohol use. Alcohol brand fan pages on social media sites are public forums for all to see. It is common to find posts of photos displaying colorful mixed drinks or bottles of beer frosted on ice. Fans can post comments and pictures in response to the alcohol advertising. Children and teens need only to like a fan page to see these photos and comments in their newsfeed. But children and teens may also be exposed to advertising secondhand if one of their friends becomes a fan of a brand alcohol page and shares photos from that page. The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Johns Hopkins University reports in a pamphlet that children misrepresent their ages to join social networking sites that have a minimum age requirement of 13. So the reality is children are gaining exposure to alcohol advertising at a very young age. CAMY further states “14 longitudinal scientific studies provide strong evidence that the amount of exposure to alcohol advertising influences whether young people start drinking or, if they already drink, how much they drink.” Though the percentage of teen drinkers has lowered slightly in a recent ten year period, there is no question underage drinking remains a problem. Project Know, an organization devoted to raising awareness of substance abuse through informative maps and graphs on their website, reports “since 2003, the nationwide prevalence of students who drank alcohol at least once in the previous 30 days hasn’t dropped below 34%.” That’s still a sizeable number to consider. Youth develop positive expectations of alcohol use when they are repeatedly exposed to the often glamorized and alluring alcohol advertisements and promotions. Correcting misperceptions that children and teens may have about alcohol, as well as educating them as to the negative consequences of underage drinking, can effectively counter expectations that alcohol is the key to maturity, escape, and social success. Well informed youth are better able to make responsible decisions, and youth who are ready to make responsible decisions are better equipped to resist media influences. We might not be able to control the images placed before them, but children and teens equipped with the tools they need to recognize it is wiser not to engage in underage drinking will scroll on by the frosty beer.
Read moreThe Effects of Nicotine on the Teen Brain
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a study that showed adolescent e-cigarette use tripled between 2013 and 2014. This new trend means we need to look not just at the negative health effects of smoking but at the overall negative health effects of nicotine on the developing teenage brain. As with alcohol and other substances, nicotine has an especially harmful effect on the developing teenage brain. Research has shown that nicotine directly impacts monoamine neurotransmitters and the limbic system, parts of the brain necessary for emotion regulation, behavior, and memory. Neural connections are still being determined in adolescence, so the development of these areas could be compromised by the use of nicotine products. Monoamine transmitters are made up of transmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, all of which are integral to mood. In the journal article, “The Dynamic Effects of Nicotine on the Developing Brain,” Dwyer and McQuown write “findings suggest that adolescent nicotine exposure may induce maladaptive learning in emotional contexts, which may lead to life-long mood disorders.” An imbalance of any of the monoamine transmitters can result in not only mood disorders, such as depression or bipolar disorder, but even schizophrenia. Dwyer and McQuown also report “nicotine may play a causal role in the persistence of impulsivity during and beyond adolescence.” Adolescence already marks a stage fraught with impulsivity, and using nicotine products just reinforces that circuitry in the brain. And these neural pathways created in adolescence are carried into adulthood. Furthermore, studies show that teens are more sensitive than adults to nicotine’s addictive properties, because the reward center of their brain develops at a quicker rate than the prefrontal cortex. In other words, teens are more likely to take a risk and seek reward, which means they are also more susceptible to negative peer influence. It is essential that we correct any misperceptions of harm teens have about e-cigarettes by educating them as to the negative health consequences of nicotine and by countering e-cigarette manufacturers’ purposeful targeting of youth. Candy flavored nicotine products are no less harmful than cigarettes, contrary to what teens may think. Well informed teens are better equipped to make responsible decisions, resist negative peer influence, and stay free from nicotine addiction in all of its forms.
Read moreSpiked Heroin Leads to Rise in Fatalities
Prescription opioid abuse has risen significantly over the past decade, leading the federal government and many state governments to instate more stringent laws to reduce access to these drugs. These efforts have been successful in both reducing illicit availability and driving up costs. As a result, addicted users turn to heroin, which is often cheaper and easier to obtain. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, heroin use among young adults aged 18-25 has almost doubled in a recent ten year period. Both heroin and prescription opioids bind to opioid receptors in the brain, producing an effect that diminishes perceptions of pain. These drugs also engage with the area of the brain that involves reward, which could be one cause for addiction. The biological transition from opioids to heroin is not much of a leap, as The Wall Street Journal recently reported the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration “has found more heroin laced with fentanyl, which is typically used to treat severe pain in people with chronic illness.” Heroin suppliers use this additive because it increases the heroin’s potency in an effort to keep street prices down and consumption up. However, heroin laced with fentanyl is that much more lethal. According to The Wall Street Journal, the DEA administrator reports that drug “incidents and overdoses related to fentanyl are occurring at an alarming rate throughout the United States and represent a significant threat to public health and safety.” Indeed, it poses a significant risk to law enforcement officials who come into contact with it, because it can be unintentionally inhaled or absorbed through the skin during drug busts. Fentanyl is one of many prescription opioids that are abused, maybe particularly so because it can be prescribed in the form of a patch. Users cut up the patches and place them under the tongue for a quicker and more intense effect. With the rise in prescription opioid abuse and heroin use, we are reminded of the crucial need to prevent the misuse of prescription medications. Drug manufacturers are working to develop analgesics that are not opioids and ultimately less likely to be abused. Additionally, as prevention educators, we can educate children as to the safe use of prescription medications and correct children’s misperceptions of harm surrounding the inappropriate use of prescription medications. Children who learn from an early age to take a responsible approach toward the safe use and handling of prescription medications are less likely to abuse them, and so they are less likely to develop a dependence on opioids that could ultimately lead to a possible heroin addiction. Drug awareness education coupled with the tools children need to make responsible decisions and resist negative peer influence, all equip children with the resiliency they need to stay true to a drug-free life.
Read moreHuman Bonding as a Preventive Factor
Conventional wisdom suggests isolation rises out of addiction, but studies have shown that in fact addiction may be a result of social isolation. Of course, there is a vicious cycle that then develops; isolation breeds addiction which breeds further isolation. Professor of Psychology, Bruce Alexander, conducted an experiment in the 1970s that has become known as the Rat Park experiment. Previous experiments revealed rats in isolation chose cocaine-laced water over plain water, so much so their addictions to the substance eventually lead to overdose and death. But Alexander wanted to test his theory which suggested rats would be less likely to become addicted to drugs in a social environment, so he created an engaging and social habitat. His rats were offered both plain and cocaine-laced bottles of water. Surprisingly, the inhabitants of Rat Park shunned the cocaine-laced water. These social and happy rats did not feel the draw of the drug their isolated counterparts felt. Addiction psychologists assert that human beings have a deep desire to bond, and if they can’t connect with other people, they may turn to something to fill that void. The trouble is the escape is only a temporary surrogate for the lack of human connection. Using alcohol or other drugs to escape or turning to sugar for comfort or other forms of distraction betrays an addictive yearning to connect. And so begins the journey to addiction, further isolating the person from the meaningful human bond they fundamentally need and miss. So what does this all mean for prevention? If isolation is likely to spawn addiction and a social environment fosters resilience, then it is essential that children learn how to develop and maintain healthy relationships from an early age. Fundamental social emotional skills equip children with the ability to bond with positive peers in a meaningful way. Effective communication and emotion management are key players on the road to building relationships. With these social emotional competencies in place, children can successfully maintain their forged connections. And a social environment clearly acts as a preventive measure against risky behaviors. Let these studies shine a light on the necessity for us to give children the tools to build strong foundations. Children who connect with others in meaningful ways are happier, healthier, and ultimately more resilient. They, in turn, stay true to social lives free of drugs and violence.
Read moreBenefits of Interactive Learning
Interactive activities are an integral part of social emotional learning. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) states that “learning is an intrinsically social and interactive process: it takes place in collaboration with one’s teachers, in the company of one’s peers, and with the support of one’s family.” Active and participatory lessons encourage children to learn social emotional skills firsthand. For the most effective social emotional skill development, it helps if activities are not limited to school but are also extended into family and community. Children who are socially and emotionally competent are skilled in five core areas: self-awareness, responsible decision-making, emotion management, social awareness, and healthy relationship building. By developing these skills through engaging activities, children are better equipped to stay on track to their goals, face potential challenges, and resist negative peer influence to engage in risky behaviors. What types of activities can be incorporated into lessons to develop social emotional skills? Cooperative learning designs that promote bonding—such as games, role-plays, and skits—are a great way to reinforce what students have learned. Through hands-on experience, students can practice these essential skills. Interactive games promote teamwork, giving students the opportunity to work on group decision-making, develop relationship skills, and resolve conflict peacefully. Real life scenarios enacted through role-plays and skits give students the opportunity to apply the skills they have learned, deepening their understanding of self and others. Interactive social and emotional learning helps children internalize the skills they will carry with them through life; they will in turn develop strong character that will give them the resiliency they need to live happy and healthy lives.
Read moreSpeak Up… And Lend an Ear
Effective communication skills are key to resilient living. Communication is the means by which we interact with the world, and how we communicate plays a large role in determining the outcomes of our actions and relationships. Children who communicate effectively are better able to make responsible decisions, stay true to their goals, and develop healthy relationships, because they can advocate their needs, seek help when necessary, and reject unhealthy pressures and influences. Dr. Carol Seefeldt writes in Scholastic that with effective communication skills “children can listen and learn from others, discuss ideas, and gain ever more knowledge of the world in which they live.” First, children must learn to differentiate healthy and unhealthy communication styles in order to adopt an effective communication style of their own. Our body language speaks to others before we even speak. For example, an interviewee who enters an interview with slumped shoulders and averted eyes will come across too passive. However, an interviewee who enters the interview with good posture and direct eye contact will come across assertive. The interviewer will take this into consideration and formulate an impression before the interviewee has a chance to answer questions. By discerning between these two communication styles, children learn that assertive behavior is more direct and honest, thereby portraying a confidence and readiness to perform. Listening skills are also essential to effective communication. Children learn how to listen by mirroring those who listen to them, but an understanding of the role of non-verbal cues conveys a message to children as well. Dr. Seefeldt writes that educating children by “fostering the conventions of communication, helping children learn to look, to take turns, and to negotiate verbal conflicts” develops an understanding of what it means to empathize with others. Teaching children to identify and adopt healthy listening skills, such as focusing on what the speaker is saying, smiling and nodding, and asking clarifying questions prevents miscommunication and facilitates stronger relationships. The above skills lead to the capacity to develop healthy relationships. As Dr. Seefeldt writes, “Children who look at the child they are talking with, who understand turn taking when communicating, and who know how to solve verbal conflicts are those who make and keep friends easily.” Effective communication helps children navigate challenging situations and peacefully resolve conflict. As a result, they are more likely to share their ideas and feelings with others, which promote enhanced cooperation and healthy bonding. Children who are ready to communicate effectively present themselves confidently in both manner and speech. They are emboldened to make responsible decisions that will keep them on track to reaching their goals, making friends along the way.
Read moreStop to Think
The road to healthy living begins with children setting reachable goals, but to stay true to that road children must learn to make responsible decisions. Children face the challenges of external pressures every day, whether they are from community, peers, or media. Dr. Jim Taylor in Psychology Today writes that "children who are poor decision makers are ready prey to the inevitable bad decisions when they listen to popular culture." Therefore, it is essential for children to learn at an early age what it takes to make decisions that will keep them focused on their goals. The primary method children can use to make responsible decisions is to stop to give themselves time to think through the decision before they act. Dr. Taylor states that children lack the experience of maturity so they "tend to make decisions that are impulsive and focused on immediate gratification." Because time is ultimately the only solution for gaining experience, we need to equip children with skills they can use until they gain that experience. Young children may benefit from such tangible practices as counting to ten or taking a few deep breaths before they speak or act. Developing decision making in children must be age appropriate. It is crucial that we recognize the capacity for decision making that grows with age. Younger children can tackle simpler decisions whereas adolescents can begin to incorporate much longer term thinking, with multiple potential outcomes and consequences, into their calculus. Thus, as we facilitate decision making, we should be mindful of this incremental process. Despite knowing to take time to think before they act, children often face peer pressure and peer influence that can challenge their decision making. Dr. Taylor says that children under pressure "may know that doing something is stupid, but they may feel peer pressure to do it anyway." Children who develop a strong moral compass and conviction to attain their goals are more likely to make responsible decisions in the face of peer pressure. They will more carefully weigh the negative consequences of making poor decisions versus the benefits of making good decisions and how those consequences, good or bad, will affect their ability to reach their goals in the short and long run. Teaching responsible decision-making skills is easy, but learning these skills requires time and practice to incorporate them into everyday life. A supportive learning environment that allows children to practice these skills and learn from mistakes can foster a confidence to take on more challenging decisions. This confidence in turn enables children to take on healthy risks and strive to reach more challenging goals. Children who learn from an early age to approach decisions in a thoughtful manner are better equipped to resist the influence of popular culture. They are more likely to live confidently in each moment, because making responsible decisions brings assurance and peace of mind. Children who stop to think about their decisions are one step closer to reaching their goals.
Read moreThe New Face of Heroin
Think of Vermont, and you most likely conjure images of mountains ablaze with russet foliage and roads meandering through quaint covered bridges. You might not suspect this pastoral state has an escalating heroin epidemic. But early this year, Rolling Stone highlighted a story of a Vermont teen whose OxyContin abuse led to heroin addiction. Teens and young adults are increasingly exposed to heroin in places few of us would expect. In less than a decade, the demographic of heroin users has dramatically shifted. What once was considered an inner-city street drug can now be found in the heart of suburban households. Recently, a front page article in The New York Times featured a story about a Staten Island mom who over a four month period spiraled into a life of using and dealing heroin that ended in her arrest. The home she and her family once shared quickly became a den for drug users and dealers. Why this surge in heroin use and the change in demographic? A recently published article in The Economist identifies a direct correlation between prescription medication abuse and heroin use. The causal link between these two drugs is not obvious on its face but easy to see after examining how these drugs are related. The rise in prescribed pain medications has led to an increase in opioid addictions. Effective measures to control access to prescription pain medications have driven addicted users to the next affordable source for their high. Street heroin is as plentiful and cheap as it ever was. This revelation reminds us to consider efforts to prevent substance use in the first place. People young and old carry misperceptions of the strength of prescription medications and the negative effects of their abuse. The implied safety of a doctor’s prescription suggest pills and other medications are a safer risk than street drugs like heroin or methamphetamine. What may begin as legitimate treatment for illness or injury may turn into addiction as a result of decisions made without considering consequences. But what preventive measures can we take to navigate children and teens away from the abuse of prescription medications? The root problem lies much deeper than simply targeting individual drugs. Research has shown that children at high risk of substance abuse benefit from prevention education strategies that build social and emotional skills. Responsible decision-making skills give children the ability to consider the consequences of the choices they face. Effective communication skills together with practical and effective refusal strategies embolden children and teens to refuse negative pressure from their peers. Adding an awareness of the harm of abusing substances effectively builds for children and teens a solid foundation to meet the challenges of life and make healthy choices along the way.
Read moreThe Possible Dream
Goal-setting is a cornerstone to effective prevention education. When children set goals for themselves, they make an investment in their future. The firmer their resolutions, the less likely they are to make decisions that would deter them from reaching those goals. They in turn develop a stronger moral compass, and they are less likely to engage in risky behaviors such as substance use and violence. Setting age appropriate goals for children, and encouraging them to set their own, will foster foundational expansion. However, it is crucial to recognize the stages of children’s cognitive development; children move from concrete to abstract thinking over the course of elementary school. In order for children to reach their goals, they must strive toward goals that are set within their stage of development. Furthermore, children who are able to discern short-term from long-term goals may set and reach their goals with greater confidence. While aiding children in setting and reaching goals, we must consider the most beneficial learning environment. In a recent Huffington Post article, Dr. Gail Gross, Family and Child Development Expert, writes, “As we guide children towards their fullest potential, we teach them through bonding, observation, social learning and role modeling, how to delay gratification and reach goals and resolutions.” Children thrive in a learning environment that encourages bonding and social learning. They establish a sense of individuality in relation to others, which is necessary for both autonomy and healthy relationship building. Social learning activities may include interactive games, media, and role-plays. These activities simulate real life social constructs so children may tangibly apply what they have learned to their own lives. But how does a social environment circle back to goal-setting? Once a community is established, children are able to feel both a sense of individuality and a sense of belonging to a group. These feelings in combination relieve stress in children, which in turn frees them up to set reachable goals for themselves. And the more capable children are of setting reachable goals, the more likely they are to take responsibility for their own actions and behaviors. Children will develop healthy decision making skills that will secure for them a safe and flourishing future.
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