Keepin it REAL: a life skills intervention for adolescents to prevent substance use and promote positive behavioral health

We propose to implement keepin’ it REAL (kiR), a culturally grounded life-skills and drug-prevention curriculum originally developed in Arizona through a participatory research process. The original study included multicultural groups of early adolescents from Phoenix. A large randomized controlled trial tested the efficacy of three versions of the curriculum (Latino, Non-Latino and Multicultural versus control). The Multicultural version was found to be the most efficacious as it included cultural content along cultural values from European American and African American cultures. The intervention was derived from prevention strategies drawn from the communication styles, values, and real-life experiences of the participants. Because kiR was created by youth for youth, it is highly adaptable to ethnically diverse classrooms. It builds on cultural processes like communication, and family orientation that youth express across backgrounds. It was found to be efficacious in Arizona, in other contexts within the U.S., and internationally. It reduces alcohol, marijuana, and other drug use; increases use of effective drug resistance strategies; improves health literacy; lowers pro-drug norms and intentions to use; lowers negative peer influences; and fewer antisocial behaviors and experiences of violence. kiR’s content and efficacy have been validated and tested through multiple randomized and quasi-experimental trials demonstrating reductions in substance use, improved decision-making, and stronger anti-drug norms, establishing the program as an evidence-based intervention with strong internal and external validity.