Preventing alcohol misuse amongst adolescents

Abstract

This dissertation highlights the different preventive programmes related to alcohol misuse in both Malta and Gozo that are conducted within secondary schools. This research subsequently looks at the work PSD - personal and social development teachers do vis-a-vis alcohol prevention among adolescents. The fact that Malta in the ESPAD studies of both 1995 and 1999 has ranked in the top positions as regards consumption of alcohol amongst adolescents has triggered me to see what is being done in the alcohol preventive field in secondary schools. Ultimately, the objective of this research is to get a better understanding of the present alcohol misuse preventive services in Malta and Gozo and to examine how PSD teachers view alcohol prevention, bearing in mind the foreign scenario. I chose Cyprus since according the ESP AD study of 1999, there has been a decrease in the number of adolescent alcohol misuse compared to the results which emerged in the study of 1995. To achieve my objectives, I started by conducting face-to-face interviews with eight PSD teachers to get a better insight at how through PSD lessons, alcohol misuse could be prevented. Subsequently, I contacted the prevention team within two agencies which work in this sector to gather the necessary information regarding the preventive material offered by their team. Ultimately, I contacted Cyprus to gain more insight on the preventive measures offered in this country.