Evaluating a school-based science program that teaches the physiological effects of nicotine.

Evaluating a school-based science program that teaches the physiological effects of nicotine. Addict Behav. 2020 Nov 28;114:106744 Authors: Cameron JL, Brasch K, Strong D, Paul B, Cavanaugh E, Thakur S, Watson MN, Jennings T, Nayak SU, Rawls SM Abstract School-based drug prevention programs represent a widely endorsed public health goal, with an important aspect of knowledge-based curricula being education about the physiological effects of drugs. Nicotine is one of the world's most addictive substances and in this program we have used nicotine-induced mammalian-like behaviors in flatworms called planarians to successfully teach students (4th-12th grade; n = 1,616 students) about the physiological and addictive effects of nicotine. An initial study tested the change in knowledge about addictive substances in 6th-12th grade students after they completed a lab examining the effects of two concentrations of nicotine on the number of stereotypies (C-shaped spasms) planarians demonstrate in a 5-minute period of time. Lab discussion focused on developing and testing hypotheses, measurement reliability, and mechanisms of nicotine action. Surveys given pre- and post-lab experience showed that 6th grade students have significantly lower knowledge about nicotine than 7th-12th grade students (6th grade: 40.65 ± 0.78% correct, 7th-12th grade: 59.29 ± 1.71%, p < 0.001) pre-lab, but that students in all grades showed a significant inc...
Source: Addictive Behaviors - Category: Addiction Authors: Tags: Addict Behav Source Type: research