On the Evidence of Things Not Seen: A Systems-Driven Analysis of LifeSkills Training, University and Tobacco Industry Efforts in School-Based Drug Prevention

ABSTRACT

Background

Despite recent declines, youth nicotine vaping remains seen by experts as a national public health epidemic. Few, if any, researchers have examined how related high-profile and school-based prevention programs such as LifeSkills Training (LST) are further disseminated with cooperation from research-to-practice entities as well as the tobacco industry.

Purpose

Provides a systems-driven documentary analysis of efforts pertaining to prevention entities at the University of Colorado, Boulder, as well as LST, and the tobacco industry.

Methods

Employs focused synthesis data collection with constant comparative analyses.

Results

Likely previously unseen and related to LST, is the degree to which prevention entities with a public mission appear to cooperate among themselves and with the tobacco industry as part of a longstanding, if not elaborate, school-based drug prevention social system characterized by patterned evidence of opaque or furtive representations and/or activities.

Discussion

Along with limitations, summarizes a research-to-practice social system likely compromising school-based prevention and, in turn, the health of the young people they serve. Theorizes a symbolic politics explanatory mechanism while providing recommendations toward transparency for more informed school-based prevention decision-making.

Translation to Health Education Practice

Emphasizes the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Inc. (NCHEC) critical thinking and program evaluation competencies.

Acknowledgments

Much appreciation for editorial and review support from Sylvia Thyssen & Marianne D’Emidio-Caston, CERD, Carolyn Hofstetter, University of California, San Diego, Joel Moskowitz, University of California & Richard J. Shavelson, Stanford University.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.