Parent drug education: A Participatory Action Research study into effective communication about drugs between parents and unrelated young people

Abstract

Parent drug education is considered a key aspect of drug prevention. Effective communication acts as protective factor for drug misuse in young people. This study is a Participatory Action Research study of Drugsbridge, a drug education programme that has an emphasis on facilitating intergenerational communication about drugs between parents and unrelated young people. The programme was designed on principles of best practice in parent drug education: the provision of balanced information; the development of communication skills and the merging of parents’ and young people's drug education. Qualitative multi-methods were used to ascertain parents’ (n = 6) and young people's (n = 11) perspectives and experiences of the programme. The research found that it was valuable to have parents and unrelated young people attend the programme together. Being unrelated removed some of the obstacles within family communication and enabled more open and honest, two-way communication between the generations. Parents developed a more balanced perspective of drugs and young people; and young people were empowered to discuss their own experiences and perspectives. The research, and its limitations, as well as suggestions for further research are discussed.

• Drug education
• effective communication
• parents
• young people
• participant action research