Assessment of the Role of Drama in Addressing Substance Abuse Among Teenagers in Onitsha, Anambra State

Drama-based interventions offer adolescents a creative, participatory space for exploring the consequences of substance abuse and developing decision-making skills, and evaluating such interventions in Onitsha provides evidence for youth health programming in South East Nigeria. This study assessed the effectiveness of drama-based substance abuse prevention programming among teenagers aged 14 to 18 in selected secondary schools in Onitsha North and Onitsha South Local Government Areas, Anambra State. A pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental design was employed, comparing substance abuse knowledge and attitude scores between 150 students who participated in an 8-session drama intervention and 150 control students. The drama sessions used role-play, improvisation, and performance to explore peer pressure and substance abuse consequences. Post-test scores showed significant improvement in knowledge (p < 0.001) and resistance attitudes toward substance abuse (p < 0.05) in the drama group compared to minimal change in the control group. Male students showed larger knowledge gains; female students showed larger attitude shifts. Teachers reported improved classroom behaviour in drama-group students over the intervention period. Practitioners noted that students' willingness to rehearse scenarios decreased in communities where substance abuse was normalised among adults. The study recommends sustained multi-session drama programmes rather than one-off performances, training of school counsellors in drama-based facilitation, and integration of substance abuse drama into Anambra State secondary school peer education frameworks. Keywords: drama, substance abuse prevention, teenagers, Onitsha Anambra State, youth intervention