Studies have proven the benefits of peer health education.

• Evaluation of a peer-led drug abuse risk reduction project for runaway and homeless youth found that peer-led groups were more effective than adult-led and nonintervention groups (Fors, 1995).

• A study of Australian school-based drug education found many common principles of effective school-based drug education, one of which was the use of peer leaders (Midford, 2002).

• Interactive peer-led programs are significantly more effective than non-interactive, teacher-led programs in preventing drug use (Black, 1998).

• Among drug education, peer programs were found to be more effective and peer-led programs correlated with more knowledge, less alcohol and marijuana use, and lower rates of smoking. There have been contradictory reports as well, citing that peer led programs had no effect, or a negative effect (Black, 2004).

• A strong correlation has been found between effective peer-led programs and well-defined peer-leader training (Black, 2004).

• Adolescents have been found to be more likely to engage in interactive discussion after peer-counseled HIV education, than adult health care providers. Peer-led groups produced greater attitude changes in teens perception of risk than adult-led groups (Mason, 2003).

• Peer leaders offer several benefits including cost savings, ability to model appropriate behaviors outside of the classroom and greater social credibility among students (Black, 2004).

Young people are part of a unique subculture with common norms, language, experience and needs and therefore, peers have a more important role in their lives.

• High school students spend twice as much time with peers as they spend with adults, including their parents. (Brown, 1990).

• One stage of psychosocial development for adolescence is establishing autonomy. Autonomous teens have gained the ability to make and follow through with their own decisions, live by their own set of principles of right and wrong, and have become less emotionally dependent on parents (Huebner, 2000).

• Numerous studies have shown that their peers influence youth’s health behaviors (Mason, 2003).

Peer-led health education has been utilized and promoted by reputable sources.

• The CDC and the Academy for Educational Development list HIV prevention interventions that are science-based and proven effective. One such intervention is the Mpowerment Project in which the major educational element is a peer-led discussion group (AED, 2003).

• National Peer Helping Association

• Natural Helpers

• Advocates for Youth (Mason, 2003)

Peer interactions facilitate learning.

• Allows students to learn from each other (Van Ments, 1990).

• Peer interactions have been shown to facilitate critical thinking, impulse control, communication skills, empathy, sharing, helping and comforting. All of these skills and qualities can be related to drug use, misuse and abuse (Black, 2004).

References

AED Academy for Educational Development (2003). Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions for HIV Prevention Viewed 11/18/2004: http://www.effectiveinterventions.org

Black D. R., Foster, E. Tindall, J., Johnson, JoLynn, Varenhorst, B. Moscato, S. (2004). Key Information, Selected Peer Resource Literature. Viewed 10/10/2004: http://www.peerhelping.org/NPHAPublications/Selected%20Peer%20Resources.pdf

Black, D. R., et al. (1998). Peer Helping/Involvement: An Efficacious Way to Meet the Challenge of Reducing Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use Among Youth. Journal of School Health, 68(3), 87-93.

Brown, B. B. (1990). In Feldman & Elliott. At the threshold: The developing adolescent. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Fors, S., and Jarvis S. (1995). Evaluation of a Peer-Led Drug Abuse Risk Reduction Project for Runaway/Homeless Youths. Journal of Drug Education, 25(4), 321-333.

Huebner, A. (2000). Adolescent Growth and Development Author: Family and Child Development. Virginia Tech Publication Number 350-850. Posted March 2000. Viewed 10/11/2004: http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/family/350-850/350-850.html

Mason, H. (2003). Peer Education: Promoting Healthy Behaviors. Advocates for Youth. Viewed 10/10/2004: http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/factsheet/fspeered.pdf

Midford, R. (2002). Principles that Underpin Effective School-Based Drug Education. Journal of Drug Education, 32(4), 363-386.

Van Ments, M. (1990). Active Talk: The Effective Use of Discussion in Learning. London: Kogan Page Ltd.