Effectiveness of Role Play on Knowledge regarding Substance Abuse among Higher Secondary Students

This study was designed to evaluate how effective a role play educational intervention could be in increasing awareness and knowledge about substance abuse among higher secondary students at Ramanattukara Higher Secondary School, Vaidyarangadi. The main goals were to measure students’ baseline understanding of substance abuse, implement and assess the impact of a role play activity, retest students’ knowledge, and determine if demographic factors influenced knowledge improvement. The research followed a pre-experimental, one-group pre-test/post-test model. A total of 40 students from the first year of the higher secondary program (ages 15–18) were chosen through non-probability convenient sampling. Data collection was carried out using a semi-structured questionnaire, which measured knowledge scores before and after the intervention. Prior to the role play, findings showed that only 20% of students had good knowledge, 75% displayed average knowledge, and a small portion (5%) had poor knowledge regarding substance abuse. Notably, none achieved an excellent score before the intervention. After participating in the role play, the post-test results revealed a significant improvement: 47.5% of students reached an excellent level of knowledge, 30% had good knowledge, and only 22.5% remained at an average level. Statistical analysis (t = 5.95, p < 0.05) confirmed this improvement was highly significant. Additionally, there was no statistically significant association between post-test knowledge and variables including age, sex, religion, parents' education, occupation, family type, or socio-economic status. The results of this research underline the value of interactive, participatory teaching methods—such as role play—for improving adolescents’ understanding of substance abuse risks and prevention. The study concludes that incorporating such techniques in school health education programs can effectively bolster students’ knowledge, regardless of demographic background.