SPASH Social Norms Dana Breed SPASH Social Norms Coordinator Jill Reed SPASH AP Stats Teacher/SADD Advisor Thursday, December 2, 2010

2 Presentation Outline Understanding the demographics of the audience Overview of Social Norms Theory Description of the SPASH Social Norms Project History and general practices Marketing Strategies Student involvement Select summary of 7 Years of Data Questions

3 Turning Point Activity We’ll use “clickers” to get YOU involved! No need to point your “clicker” anywhere. A green light means your answer was entered. Don’t hold the button down…press and release or it may not work. Only press the buttons with numbers on them.

What is your current primary title? 1. Teacher 2. Counselor 3. Social Worker 4. Health Professional 5. Building Administrator 6. School Psychologist 7. Other

What level do you primarily work with? 1. High School 2. Junior High or Middle School 3. Elementary 4. K Post-secondary

6 How much do you know about Social Norms Theory? 1. I am very familiar with it. 2. I know the basics. 3. I am not familiar with it at all.

What is the status of incorporating a social norms project within your organization? 1. We currently do incorporate social norms. 2. We will “soon”. 3. We are considering that option. 4. No plans to do so at this time.

8 What is a “social norm”? 5 1. A phrase that SPASH faculty came up with. 2. What society views as normal and acceptable. 3. What society knows is true.

9 What are Social Norms? Traditions Customs Mores Beliefs Behaviors Practices Standards

10 director of the “Most of Us” program at Montana State University

SOCIAL NORMS THEORY: (Perkins, H. W. & Berkowitz, A. D. (1986) perceiving the community norms of alcohol use among students; some implications for campus alcohol education programming. International Journal of the Addictions. 21, ) States that individual behaviors are influenced by misperceptions of how peers think and act. For youth in particular, peer influences and perceptions have been found to be more influential in shaping individual choices for behavior than other factors. The theory states that over-estimating of problem behaviors discourages healthy behaviors. Correcting these misperceptions by promoting actual norms can result in decreased negative behaviors and increased prevalence of healthy protective behaviors.

SOCIAL NORMS MARKETING: (Andreasen, A. R. (1994). Social marketing: Its definition and domain. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing. 13(1), ) Has been widely used throughout the past several decades in many disciplines as a behavior changing strategy. Social norms marketing is the adaptation of commercial marketing technologies to programs designed to influence the voluntary behavior of target audiences.

13 The SPASH Social Norms Project Students overestimate the percentage of their peers who use alcohol & other drugs. When students overestimate, they justify peer use AND are more likely to use themselves.

14 The SPASH Social Norms Project (SNP) Utilizes marketing strategies to correct misperceptions of alcohol, tobacco & other drug use by SPASH students. Exists as one option, one researched theoretical approach, to reduce ATOD use among teenagers.

15 As a visual… Decrease ATOD Use Correct Mispercep- tions Increase Discussions with Students Increase Use of Normative Statements

History of the SPASH Social Norms Project Began in 2004: Student, Staff, & Parent Surveys Topics of surveys include: alcohol, tobacco, marijuana & prescription drug use, bullying, truancy, etc. Yearly attendance at national social norms conference Social Norms Action (SNP) Committee Data analyzed & select messages marketed Utilization of a Social Norms Coordinator and a graphic designer

17 The funding for the Social Norms campaign comes from… School referendums 2. A WI ATOD competitive grant 3. A winning lottery ticket 4. SPASH vending machine proceeds

Student Contact Focus groups via various classrooms throughout the school year “Ice cream bar giveaways” Mall Intercept Surveys including surveymonkey.com via laptops Student Groups (Health Assistants, SADD, etc.)

19 Marketing Samples ALL poster, banner, folder, bus, cinema, newspaper & billboard designs & radio ad clips are taken to several SPASH classrooms for feedback and revisions before they become the final product. Additionally, we also market through parent mailings and marquee signs, & various giveaways (t-shirts, water bottles, flash drives, etc.)

20 Samples of Billboards

Samples of 30 second radio ads For students regarding dating a non- smoker For students regarding what their parents think For parents regarding their children at parties

Samples of Parent Mailings

23 Which poster do you think was the final draft? Why?

What fraction of SPASH high school students do NOT smoke cigarettes? 1. 1/10 2. ¼ 3. ½ 4. ¾ 5. 9/10

What percentage of SPASH students do NOT misuse prescription drugs? 1. 20% 2. 38% 3. 53% 4. 76% 5. 84% 6. 95%

26 What about the other %?

Social Norms Project Coordinator Work 16 – 30 hours/week Research ATOD topics Coordinate implementation & analysis of surveys Conduct student focus group presentations as well as staff presentations Facilitate SNP action committee meetings Implement a comprehensive marketing program including regular communication with graphic designer Connect with community groups Communicate regularly with key school personnel including ATOD Coordinator & building principal

Which source is considered to be the most believable amongst students for information on ATOD? 1. Friends 2. Parents 3. Teachers 4. Internet 5. Police 6. Health Professionals

29 What is the most popular criticism of the SPASH SNP? … prize giveaway

30 “ Everyone lied on the survey” “n = 1129” refers to the number of valid surveys used Statistically significant “sample size” of 1700 enrollment 10-13% of surveys are not used (… tester questions, doodling…) Comparison to other surveys, other schools

31 Note how similar the data is from year to year, representing over 7000 student responses… helping to support the validity of the data…

Longitudinal Study of Student Data

STUDENTS: Have you seen media based on data collected at your school stating that most students at your school do not smoke cigarettes? %79% 74%83%89%90%

STUDENTS: When hanging out or socializing with friends, what do you typically drink? ALCOHOL - ACTUAL 29% 16%11%14%11%14% ALCOHOL - PERCEPTION 46%41%22%15%21%16%13%

STUDENTS: I would prefer to date a … Non-smoker 78%77%81%85%80%81% Non-drinker 60%61%58%64%58%62%64%

STUDENTS: During the past 30 days, on how many days have you… Smoked CIGARETTES? 28%29%28%23%27%26% Drank ALCOHOL? 49%47%46%39%43% 42% Used MARIJUANA? 26%23% 19%22%24%28% Mis-used PRESCRIPTION DRUGS? 13% 16%

STUDENTS: Percent of students who believe 30 day use is normative (50% or more) Smoked CIGARETTES? 49%47%38%31%35%33%30% Had at least one drink of ALCOHOL? 63%61%59%52%59%52%49% Used MARIJUANA? 29%26%23%17%20%24%26% Used PRESCRIPTION DRUGS? 11%

Longitudinal Study of Parent & Staff Data

Parents : Percent who believe 30 day use is normative Smoked CIGARETTES? 35%24%23%16%28%15% Drank ALCOHOL? 42%28%32%28%34%27% Used MARIJUANA? 14%8%7%1%13%8% Mis-used PRESCRIPTION DRUGS? 7%6%

Staff : Percent who believe 30 day use is normative Smoked CIGARETTES? 15%12%8%10%7%4% Drank ALCOHOL? 29%30%24%29%23%21% Used MARIJUANA? 2%6%2%3%1%4% Mis-used PRESCRIPTION DRUGS? 2%

Parents : Do you allow your high school child(ren) to attend parties where underage drinking occurs? %3% 2%3%1%2%

Parents: Do you allow your high school child(ren) to drink under adult supervision? %12%13%10%14%10%6%

2010 Results Percentage of SPASH Parents/Staff using True Normative Statements: ParentsStaff "Most SPASH high school students do not regularly drink alcohol." 37%67% "Most SPASH students typically do not drink alcohol when socializing." 38%59% "Most SPASH students do not smoke cigarettes." 37%64% "Most SPASH students do not smoke marijuana." 39%52% "Most SPASH students do not mis-use prescription drugs." 31%52%

“Starter Kit” suggestions: RESEARCH! Develop your “mission statement” Determine available funding Form the action team and select the coordinator Involve youth leadership! Determine means of collecting and analyzing data Form marketing strategy

Any questions or comments?

46 Thank you for your attention!! Please do contact us with any further questions or feedback… Dana Breed Jill Reed