Deterring Substance Use in Grade School Children through Mental Health Awareness and Coping Skills Training

The 2021 “Community Health Needs Assessment” of Hawkins County, Tennessee conducted by regional hospital system, Ballad Health, identified mental health and substance abuse among the top 3 health priorities for the county. With input from community stakeholders, 5 ETSU medical students organized a 3-part intervention targeting 6th grade students (n=43) testing the hypothesis that individuals with competent coping skills and mental health awareness are less likely to turn to substances to manage life stressors. Lesson plans were crafted using Kolb’s experiential learning model and pre/post surveys collected at each session assessing participant awareness, self-efficacy, perceived stress, and feedback. Results indicated statistically significant improvements in student awareness of positive and negative coping skills and self-efficacy, along with favorable responses from students regarding lesson style. Continuation of the study with longitudinal assessments is needed to prove the hypothesis and indicate effectiveness of the intervention as a tool for reducing substance use in the region.