Objective outcome evaluation of a drug prevention program for high-risk youths in Hong Kong : the project Astro

Conscious of the need to develop an indigenous drug prevention program that is evidence-based and systematic, the Project Astro was designed in Hong Kong focusing on comprehensive strategies that target early risk factors and that strengthen protective factors in adolescence. It consisted of three psychosocial primary prevention programs conducted in structured group session. A three-year longitudinal study using a non-equivalent group design was carried out to evaluate the project. Taken as a whole, the findings showed that the participants in the experimental group generally performed better than the control group in terms of social skills, knowledge of drugs, refusal skills, attitudes towards drugs, and the behavioral intention to avoid drug abuse. The present study provides support for the effectiveness of the Project Astro in Hong Kong.