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Program Reviews

Consider This

Overview

Consider This is a web-based smoking prevention program developed for use in middle and high school classrooms.

Over six modules, Consider This uses social cognitive theory to change adolescents’ cigarette smoking expectancies and decrease the prevalence of smoking. The modules focus on topics like media literacy, relationships, decision making, and resistance strategies. Over 73 activities and multimedia audio narrations, graphics, animations, sound effects, and music are included in this interactive program. Consider This was originally designed to be implemented in classrooms, and access to each module is password protected and controlled by the teacher.

Delivery:
Web-based

Theoretical Approaches:
Social Cognitive Theory

Target Substance(s):
Nicotine

Target Outcome(s):
Smoking
Expectancies
Subjective Norm

Ages:
Adolescents (11-17)

Genders:
Male
Female

Races/Ethnicities:
Caucasian
Hispanic/Latino
African American
American Indian
Native Hawaiian
Asian
Other
Multiracial

Setting:
School-based

Geographic Location:
Unspecified

Country:
Australia
United States

Language:
English

Evaluations

  • Randomized trials on Consider This, a tailored, internet-delivered smoking prevention program for adolescents.

    Buller DB, Borland R, Woodall WG, Hall JR, Hines JM, Burris-Woodall P, Cutter GR, Miller C, Balmford J, Starling R, Ax B, Saba L. Health Education and Behavior. 2008. 35(2): 260-281. PMID: 17114331.

    Summary: This randomized controlled trial compared the efficacy of Consider This with usual health education to prevent smoking in adolescents. Schools in Australia (n=25) and the United States (n=21) were matched by size, demographic, and socioeconomic makeup. One school per pair was randomly assigned to implement Consider This with students in grades 6 through 9. The control schools continued their existing health education programs. Students completed pre- and post-tests to provide information on past 30-day smoking prevalence, expectancies, and attitudes. In both the Australian and American schools close to 90% of students completed the first module, while only 25% of students completed the entire Consider This program. More Australian students reported smoking a cigarette during the past month (Australia=5% vs. United States=3%) and ever smoking a cigarette (Australia=41% vs. United States=20%). For Australian students, the prevalence of smoking decreased more for students getting Consider This than students getting usual health education. Students in Australia receiving Consider This also had altered smoking expectancies, and were less likely to think that smoking was the norm. Altered subjective norms also mediated the relationship between Consider This and reduced smoking. In addition, a dose-response relationship was present for Australian students. Completing more modules of Consider This was associated with reduced smoking and greater changes in expectancies. In American students, Consider This was not associated with a significant reduction in the prevalence of smoking. American students receiving Consider This had lower future expectations for smoking.

    Take Away: Results provide support for preliminary efficacy of Consider This to prevent smoking in early adolescents. Future research should investigate why Consider This was more effective in Australia than the United States, and the role of educators in the implementation and outcome success of the program.