Promoting the Well-being of Urban Youth through Drama-based Peer Education.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to examine youths' perceptions of a drama-based peer education approach to promote adolescent well-being.

METHODS

High school students facilitated workshops on one of 7 topics (eg, dating violence) for 4733 urban elementary, middle, and high school students. Audience members' perceptions of workshop content and implementation were examined.

RESULTS

Analyses suggest that the peer-led workshops addressed important problems for youth in the community, were an effective way to deliver information about the topics to children and teens, and helped audience members to learn more about the topics and how to make responsible decisions. The study also found that some program outcomes differed by sex and age.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that school-based peer education that integrates drama arts is a promising approach for promoting wellness and reducing exposure to violence among urban youth. In addition, findings suggest that we can facilitate positive outcomes to the extent that we match program content to the developmental needs of children and adolescents. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of advancing research on drama-based peer education interventions for urban youth.