Scheduled for Poster Session: The Study and Assessment of Activity and Performance Across Disciplines, Friday, April 11, 2008, 8:45 AM - 10:15 AM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall, Reseach Consortium Poster Sessions


Parental Perceptions After Participating in the “Shattered Lives” Program

Martha Bass1, Rosanne Keathley1, William Hyman1 and Susan K. Casey2, (1)Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, (2)Conroe Independent School District, Woodlands, TX

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and behaviors of high school parents before and after their teen participated in the “Shattered Lives” alcohol fatality re-enactment. Studies assessing the efficacy of the dramatization on parental perceptions and behaviors related to their child's drink-driving behaviors are limited. This investigation was conducted at two Texas high schools on the parents of 11th and 12th grade students. Perceptions and behaviors were measured using a pretest / posttest survey. Forty-seven (male = 9, female = 38) parent participants were given a modified version of the Bordin (2003) “Every 15 Minutes” Program Evaluation. Data were analyzed using SPSS 14.0. Significant differences were found on parental pretest and posttest answers for two of thirty-five items. After participation in the program, parents had become more concerned about their teen's friends trying one or two drinks (p = .011; 4.2% to 15.2%) and felt they were more adequately prepared to control or prevent alcohol problems among their teens (p = .025; 27.7% to 46.8%). The majority of parents (80.4% pretest and 85.1% posttest) reported plans to increase their level of communication with their teen regarding their friends drinking behaviors; their teens personal drinking, binge-drinking behaviors, and dangerous passenger behaviors; and establishing a “no questions asked” contract with their teen. The following parental perceptions about their teens drinking and drink-driving behaviors did not change significantly following program participation: felt it was wrong for their teen to try one or two drinks (29.8% pretest and 40.4% posttest), did not want their teen to ride with a drink-driver (29.8% pretest and 23.4% posttest), concerned about their teens friend participating in binge drinking behaviors (44.7% pretest and 41.3% posttest), believed that their teen attends parties where alcohol is consumed (63.8% pretest and 58.7% posttest), that alcohol use is a serious problem among underage youth (100.0% pretest and 97.9% posttest), asked their teen if parents would be present at parties they were attending (76.6% pretest and 72.3% posttest), prohibit their teen from going to a party where alcohol is being served (19.1% pretest and 17.4% posttest), discuss alcohol consumption consequences with their teen once a week or more (41.3% pretest and 39.1% posttest), and felt feeling comfortable discussing drinking with their teen (87.2% pretest and 83.0% posttest). Further studies are warranted to determine methods to increase parental involvement in the deterrent of teen age drink-driving and drinking behaviors.
Keyword(s): disease prevention/wellness, high school issues, youth-at-risk

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