Under pressure program: using live theatre to investigate adolescents' attitudes and behavior related to drug and alcohol abuse education and prevention

Adolescence, Spring, 1993 by L. Arthur Safer, Carol Gibb Harding

Family influences. Family issues involving substance abuse appeared to generate much discussion, although adolescents said that these were difficult to discuss. In all discussion groups, the point was made that when a family member is having a substance abuse problem, it is very difficult to seek help outside the family. Although adolescents consistently expressed the desire to help a drug-abusing family member, several expressed helplessness when confronted with family-related drug problems. Seldom did an adolescent indicate that he or she would discuss a family member's drug problem with anyone outside the family.

Seeking help. Although family members, teachers, and counselors were discussed as sources of help, adolescents expressed reluctance to seek help when confronted with a drug problem. On occasion, members of their extended families were mentioned, as were teachers and counselors (although issues of trust were cited) and abstract sources of information such as "the Lord" or "some 800 number or hot line." Although few specifically mentioned school counselors as sources of help, approximately 19% of the adolescents requested counseling in writing through the questionnaire distributed after the theatrical performance.

Overall, most adolescents expressed some feelings or described experiences during the discussions. The most active discussions were generated around issues involving family members, with 50% to 90% of the adolescents participating. Thus, summaries of the field notes indicate that the live theatre presentation, with subsequent discussion and role play, does solicit feedback in regard to the adolescents' feelings about substance abuse and using school counselors and other resources available to them.

CONCLUSION

There is no doubt that theatre provides an exciting form of teaching. The Under Pressure Program seems capable of doing what the school curriculum and many teachers cannot, that is, involve the students, interest them in the topic of substance abuse, lead them to see its relevance to the world around them, and motivate them to learn more. Captain Clean invariably serves as a springboard for meaningful dialogue in postperformance group discussion. Students identify with particular characters, accept the characters' point of view, feel they can discuss things with them, and care what happens to them. This empathy is often used to make the students aware of the moral problems associated with alcohol and drug abuse. Thus, the program appears to be having success in motivating students to understand an important message at a time when the educational system is being criticized for failing to do exactly that.

REFERENCES

Bandy, P., & President, P. A. (1983). Recent literature on drug abuse prevention and mass media: Focusing on youth, parents, women and the elderly. Journal of Drug Education, 13(3), 255-269.

Boria, M. C., Welch, E. J., & Vargas, A. M. (1981). Family life theatre and youth health services. American Journal of Public Health, 2 (February).