ISSL Social Norms Program Update — December 2005

Parents and faculty at Chaminade, Chesterfield Day, Crossroads, MICDS, Nerinx, Priory, TJ, Villa, Visitation, and Westminster are all aware by now that these schools are actively participating in a Social Norms effort to reduce teen alcohol use. The Social Norms approach uses poster and post card media to expose students to the unknown but true norms of their peers regarding alcohol use. The following are samples of messages that have been on posters during the fall semester in all of the participating schools:

• Independent, Caring, and Strong! Westminster Students Keep Alcohol from Ruining Their Good Times.
• Villa Students Don’t Pressure Each Other to Drink.
• For Nerinx Students, Going Out with Friends Is Sooooooooo Not about Alcohol.
• Proud, Accomplished, and Powerful! Priory Students Do Not Let Alcohol Get in The Way of Their Hopes and Dreams.
• TJ students Respect Their Friends Who Choose Not to Drink.
• No Matter What Everyone Says, Not Everyone at MICDS Drinks.
• The Overwhelming Majority (85%) of Chaminade Drivers Never Drink and Drive.
• CDS Students Know You Don’t Have to Drink to Have a Good Time.

During the week of November 7^th, consultants associated with the National Social Norm Center conducted focus groups at Nerinx (n=10) and Chaminade (n=17) and a lunchroom “intercept” survey at MICDS (n=83). The sampling was conducted to determine if students were seeing the posters and post cards bearing messages about alcohol no-use norms at their schools. Additionally, students were asked their opinion about the messages, design, placement, and believability.

Here is a summary of the information gathered during the visit to the Saint Louis area independent schools.

• At all three schools, over 95% of the students had seen the posters and over 90% had seen three or more posters.
• Also at all three schools, over 90% remembered reading the post card sent to them at their home.
• When students were asked what these posters were trying to say or what was the reason for their posting, they most frequently described the purpose in normative terms, followed by “Don’t Drink!” as the primary sentiment. Only 18% of the students described the reason for the posters in cynical or negative terms. These responses indicate a successful campaign.

The focus groups are intended to provide information of greater depth. They did. Among the highlights from the focus groups:

• The posters are well placed in stairways, over drinking fountains, in classrooms, etc.
• The clear favorite posters were the Napoleon Dynamite series.
• If celebrities are to be used on posters in the future, the favorites at Nerinx were the stars from The O.C. And at Chaminade it was The Simpsons or Family Guy.
• Do not use pictures of students who are obviously not from our school.
• No girl would be caught dead wearing bib overalls to school. That is so “out” it ruined the poster.
• Saying, “85%” or “4 out of 5” Chaminade students don’t drink and drive is much more believable than saying “Chaminade students don’t drink and drive”.
• If you send a post card home addressed to the student talking about how most students don’t drink, please say that you sent one to every student. My mom thought I was in trouble for drinking!

This information collected from students will help to shape the messages that will be on posters and post cards during the spring semester. Please help spread the word and reinforce the safe and protective norms that are common to students in St. Louis area independent schools. Students here and across the country continue to indicate that parents and teachers are among the most believable sources of information about alcohol use.

For more information, please go to our home page.

 

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