Putting peer pressure in its place: the program Keepin' it REAL--an acronym for "refuse, explain, avoid, leave"--helps kids stay out of trouble.

• Author: Nicodemo, Allie
• Position: Education

Madison Placencio is a 13-year-old eighth-grader in San Tan Valley, Ariz. She is at the age when peer pressure becomes increasingly common and tougher to resist, but Placencio handles it with finesse. For instance, one time her friends tried to convince her to go to a party she did not want to go to. She already had plans that day for an outing with her family. "I was like, 'No, I'd rather go with my family,'" says Placencio. "I just explained to them why I couldn't go."

It might sound simple but, for a middle school student, having the confidence to say "no" is critical--and not always easy. Around 11% of eighth-graders in the U.S. have used marijuana; nine percent, alcohol. These substances are particularly dangerous for children because their brains are still developing. "It's not healthy for a young person to use a substance, legal or illegal. Their brain cannot tell them when to stop yet, so they reach addiction very quickly," maintains Flavio Marsiglia, a regents professor in Arizona State University's School of Social Work and director of ASU's Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center (SIRC).

SIRC is a national Exploratory Center of Excellence on minority health and health disparities. Researchers develop interventions to prevent and reduce health problems, such as substance abuse, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and sexually transmitted diseases. They work among disadvantaged groups, including Latinos; Native-, African-, and Asian-Americans; Somali refugees; women; and juvenile offenders.

For the past two decades, Marsiglia has been trying to develop culturally relevant health interventions for youth. The good news is that most middle school students, like Placencio, choose not to use alcohol or other drugs. Marsiglia and his colleagues wanted to find out what strategies these kids use to evade peer pressure. They interviewed hundreds of Phoenix middle school students and identified four main tactics: refuse, explain, avoid, and leave.

"Refuse" can be a simple "no" or a gesture, like shaking the head. "Explain" also involves saying "no," but includes a reason why. "It gives me a headache," "my parents will be upset," "I don't believe in that," and "I don't need it to have fun" all are examples Marsiglia has heard from kids. "Avoid" could mean staying away from a party where drugs and alcohol are likely to be present. "Leave" is a tactic used by kids who already are at the party when trouble shows up.

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