Integrated Education Models for Addressing Substance Use Among Schoolchildren: A Scoping Review of School-Based Educational Interventions

Background: Early and comprehensive interventions are crucial for preventing substance use in adolescents. In school settings, such interventions can be easily integrated into the curricular and co-curricular activities with the active involvement of school administration, teachers, trained staff, parents, and community members. This review aimed to comprehensively examine preventive, protective, and corrective school-based intervention models for substance use to suggest an evidence-based and effective educational model for preventing substance use in children. Methods: In this scoping review, online databases, including SCOPUS and Web of Science, were searched to identify and collect articles evaluating the effectiveness of school-based prevention models. The PRISMA approach for scoping review (PRISMA-ScR) was employed to assess the scope of relevant literature and synthesise existing school-based intervention models. Two independent reviewers independently screened records (κ = 0.75). Due to heterogeneity, findings were synthesised narratively using a socio-ecological framework. Study quality was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Results: Forty-three studies, mostly from the United States, were included in the review. All school-based interventions examined were preventive or protective in their approaches. There was no school-based intervention model that was corrective in its approach. Increased knowledge, negative attitudes towards substance use, and reduced substance use in the intervention groups were key outcomes. Effective interventions involved a multi-pronged approach wherein teacher training, student education, and the involvement of parents, senior citizens, police officials, experts, and the community were key components. Additionally, culturally tailored interventions have shown promising results. Conclusions: Among school children, tobacco and alcohol use are most prevalent, and schools can play a crucial role in addressing this issue. Apart from preventive and protective intervention models, the focus needs to shift towards developing integrated school-based corrective models to address the concerns of substance use among school students.