title: Biological background knowledge and learning from a drug and alcohol education program.
abstract: The authors asked whether having a base of relevant biological knowledge put school children in a better position to understand the effects of alcohol and cocaine and to learn about these effects when exposed to a curriculum presenting a physiological theory of drug action. Participants were 337 ethnically diverse 3rd- through 6th-grade students who were pretested, trained, and posttested. Multiple regression analyses revealed that knowledge of the basic functions of the heart, blood, and brain predicted certain drug-knowledge variables. Students with greater biological background knowledge also learned more from instruction, a finding with implications for enhancing drug and other health education programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA. carol@gwu.edu
authors.forename: Carol K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Sigelman
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Bridges
authors.forename: Alberto G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Sorongon
authors.forename: Cheryl S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Rinehart
authors.forename: Albert B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Brewster
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wirtz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D003042:Cocaine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003479:Curriculum; D000431:Ethanol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D003042:Cocaine