Abstract
M.A.
The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of a substance abuse primary prevention programme and ascertain its influence on three variables namely; attitude behaviour and knowledge of grade eight learners.
The literature review revealed that there is a possibility that substance abuse awareness talk changes the behaviour and attitude of learners thus improving their knowledge about substance abuse effects. Whereas the United Nations indicated that for the success of the prevention programme it should be coupled with life skills. It was also revealed in the literature that the evaluation of prevention programmes was rarely done in South Africa due to lack of funding.
The Elim Clinic as the organisation that deals with substance abuse treatment and prevention maintains that prevention is better than cure, therefore, all young people must be exposed to their substance abuse awareness talks. Peer educators of the secondary school presented the programme for grade 8 learners.
A sample of thirty grade eight learners was systematically selected for this study in one of the secondary schools at Tembisa. The data were collected by means a of questionnaire based on background information of respondents, attitude, knowledge and behaviour of substance abuse.
Due to the quantitative approach employed the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was utilized to determine the difference between the pre-test and post-test results.
The findings of the study clarified that the program had an effect on knowledge and no statistical significance on attitude and behaviour. It was concluded, too, that information given to young people cannot determine change in behaviour and attitude, and increasing their knowledge does not mean they will not abuse substances in the future.
Prof. B. Mitchell