Media Detective

Program Description

Media Detective is an activity-driven media literacy program designed to prevent alcohol and tobacco use among third through fifth graders. The main program consists of ten 45-minute interactive sessions, where students analyze advertisements and media messages through a structured curriculum grounded in social cognition, substance use prevention, and media literacy research. Other related products include Media Detective Family Night, a one-time interactive workshop for families, and Media Detective Family, a web-based program that has families collaboratively uncover hidden messages in alcohol and tobacco advertising.

Prevention Category

Universal - Direct

Practice Level

Individual
Relationship
Community or Society

Strategies

Education

Practice Components

Level
Components
Individual
Education
Self-Efficacy or Self-Esteem Enhancement
Skills Training
Relationship
None
Community/Society
Community-Based Processes

Risk and Protective Factors

Risk Factors
Protective Factors
Individual Risk Factors
Early initiation of substance use
Favorable attitudes towards substance abuse
Individual Protective Factors
High self-esteem
Personal engagement in two or more of the following: school, peers, athletics, employment, religion/spirituality, culture
Positive temperament
Family Risk Factors
None
Family Protective Factors
Communication and contact between caregivers and youth
Supportive relationships with family
School, Peer, and Community Risk Factors
Norms favorable towards substance use
Substance use among peers
School, Peer, and Community Protective Factors
Community norms, beliefs, and standards against substance use
Opportunities for prosocial engagement in the school and community
Positive social norms

Population Age

Age 6-12
Age 13-17
Age 18-20

Populations of Focus

General Population

Settings

Home
School (K-12)

Parental/Caregiver Involvement

Recommended or optional

Substance Use Prevention Focus

Alcohol
Cannabis
Cocaine
Prescription Drugs
Tobacco

Recommended Staffing

Teachers or educators

Empirical Evidence of Impact

Substance Substance-Related Behavior Population Age Evidence Strength and Study Populations of Focus
Alcohol Changes in Knowledge, Attitudes, or Beliefs Elementary School Moderate (General Population)1
Alcohol Changes in Knowledge, Attitudes, or Beliefs Middle School Promising (White)2
Substance Use (General) Changes in Knowledge, Attitudes, or Beliefs Elementary School Moderate (General Population)1,3
Substance Use (General) Reduced Use or Delayed Initiation Elementary School Moderate (General Population)3
Substance Use (General) Reduced Use or Delayed Initiation Middle School Promising (White)2
References

1 Kupersmidt, J. B., Scull, T. M., & Austin, E. W. (2010). Media literacy education for elementary school substance use prevention: Study of Media Detective. Pediatrics, 126(3), 525-531. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-0068

2 Draper, M., Appregilio, S., Kramer, A., Ketcherside, M., Campbell, S., Stewart, B., Rhodes, D., & Cox, C. (2015). Educational Intervention/Case Study: Implementing an Elementary-Level, Classroom-Based Media Literacy Education Program for Academically At-Risk Middle-School Students in the Non-Classroom Setting. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education, 59(2), 12–24. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48506437

3 Scull TM, Kupersmidt JB, Weatherholt TN. The effectiveness of online, family-based media literacy education for substance abuse prevention in elementary school children: Study of the Media Detective Family program. Journal of Community Psychology45(6):796-809. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.21893

Training and Technical Assistance

The developers highly recommend in-person or online training for teachers planning to implement the program. Technical assistance and evaluation services are also available, provided by Innovation Research and Training.

Adaptations

Elementary school programs that are part of these curricula have been used in both public and private schools, and curricula are available in both English and Spanish. Updated editions of curricula incorporate lessons on modern methods of marketing related to social media and vaping/e-cigarette products. Online and family-focused materials are also available.

Program Costs

Please visit the developer’s website listed above for updated information about implementation costs.

What California Providers Are Saying

We have not yet spoken to any California providers who have experience implementing Media Detective. If you have implemented it, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us.

Labels

Universal,

Individual,
Relationship,
Community/Society, community-society, community society,

Information dissemination,
Education,

Education,
Self-efficacy/self-esteem enhancement,
Skills Training,

Community-based Processes, community based processes, community/based processes,

Early initiation of substance use,
Favorable attitudes towards substance abuse,

High self-esteem,
Personal engagement in two or more of the following: school, peers, athletics, employment, religion/spirituality, culture,
Positive temperament,

Communication and contact between caregivers and youth,
Supportive relationships with family,

Norms favorable towards substance use,
Substance use among peers,

Community norms, beliefs, and standards against substance use,
Opportunities for prosocial engagement in the school and community,
Positive social norms,

Age 6-12, Ages 6-12,
Age 13-17, Ages 13-17,
Age 18-20, Ages 18-20,

General Population, Hispanic,

Recommended/optional,

Alcohol,
Cannabis,
Cocaine,
Prescription Drugs,
Tobacco,

Home,
School (K-12), k-12,

Teachers/Educators, teachers educators, teachers-educators,