All stars is a universal school-based intervention for children aged between 8 to 14 years. It is delivered by teachers to groups of children during the school day for 9 to 14 sessions. The primary goal of the intervention is to prevent or delay risky behaviours, specifically substance misuse and anti-social behaviour.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
8 to 14 years old
Group
All Stars is a universal school-based intervention for children aged between 8 to 14 years which aims to prevent or delay risky behaviours. It is delivered by teachers to groups of children during the school day for 9 to 14 sessions.
The intervention aims to promote qualities that have been found to protect children from engaging in risky behaviour, such as commitment and bonding to the school environment. The intervention involves a range of interactive methods focused on developing these qualities, including art, small group discussions, group work, and games.
8 to 14 years
School children aged 8 to 14
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
Some young people are at risk of engaging in risky behaviours, including substance use, delinquency, and other antisocial behaviours
Science-based assumption
Having positive ‘social norms’ and improved social competency skills reduces the extent to which peers consider high-risk behaviours to be desirable and acceptable, and prevents risky behaviour from developing.
Science-based assumption
Young people at risk of engaging in risky behaviours.
Intervention
The intervention uses interactive teaching techniques and homework assignments to promote five key mediators: lifestyle incongruence/idealism (recognising that high-risk behaviours will interfere with a young person’s desired future); social norms; commitment; bonding to prosocial and supportive organizations; and positive parental/carer attention.
Short-term
Young people identify futuresthat are personally meaningful and develop personal commitments to their future
Young people share positive norms as a peer group, and feel engaged and respected as part of the class or group
Young people strengthen bonds with parents or other adults.
Medium-term
Increased resistance to peer pressure to engage in risky behaviours
Reduced likelihood of initiating risky behaviours
Long-term
Reduced substance misuse
Reduced engagement with other anti-social behaviours, such as fighting.
Offered universally to school children aged 8 to 14 years.
All Stars is delivered in several ways. The rating applies to the following:
All Stars uses interactive methods such as art, small group discussions, role-play, and games to target qualities and skills shown to effectively prevent or delay risky behaviours.
The five core qualities in All Stars Core are: lifestyle incongruence (recognising that high-risk behaviours interfere with life goals); positive social norms; commitment; bonding with prosocial groups; and positive parental attention. All Stars Plus builds on this by adding three key skills: decision-making; goal setting; and resisting peer pressure.
Each classroom session promotes at least one of these qualities or skills, known as ‘mediators’, which are central to how the intervention achieves its outcomes.
The practitioner who delivers this intervention is a qualified teacher with QCF Level 6 qualifications.
The practitioners have six hours of intervention training. Booster training of practitioners is not required.
It is recommended that practitioners are supervised by a host-agency supervisor (qualified to QCF Level 6), with six to eight hours of intervention training.
Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
Website: https://allstarsprevention.com/
*Please note that this information may not be up to date. In this case, please visit the listed intervention website for up to date contact details.
All Stars’ most rigorous evidence comes from a QED which was conducted in the United States. This study identified statistically significant reductions in alcohol use, drunkenness, cigarette use, and improvements in commitments to non-drug use and goal-setting skills at post-intervention. It also found statistically significant declines in child bonding to school environment at post-intervention.
The rating is based on an evaluation of the version of All Stars delivered by a teacher during the school day. Other versions have a discrete evidence base, which has not contributed towards this guidebook entry. In particular, an after-school version of All Stars found no statistically significant improvements for intervention participants on all measured child outcomes (Gottfredson et al., 2010). We would advise commissioners to consult the relevant studies for further information on all other versions. Please refer to the full reference list for details.
| Identified in search | 5 |
| Studies reviewed | N/A |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 1 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 0 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 4 |
| Study design | QED |
| Country | United States |
| Sample characteristics | This study involved a total of 770 students (average age 12.4) in the US states of South Carolina and Texas |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities |
|
| Population risk factors | 45% of participants were economically disadvantaged, with rates ranging from 23% to 75% across schools |
| Timing |
|
| Child outcomes |
|
| Other outcomes | None |
| Study rating | 2 |
| Citations | Hansen, W. B. & Dusenbury, L. (2004) All Stars Plus: A competence and motivation enhancement approach to prevention. Health Education. 104 (6), 371–381. |
The following studies were identified for this intervention but did not count towards the intervention’s overall evidence rating. An intervention receives the same rating as its most robust study or studies.
Gottfredson, D. C., Cross, A., Wilson, D., Rorie, M., & Connell, N. (2010) An experimental evaluation of the All Stars prevention curriculum in a community after school setting. Prevention Science. 11 (2), 142–154. This reference refers to a randomised controlled trial, conducted in the USA.
Harrington, N. G., Giles, S. M., Hoyle, R. H., Feeney, G. J., & Yungbluth, S. C. (2001) Evaluation of the All Stars character education and problem behavior prevention program: Effects on mediator and outcome variables for middle school students. Health Education & Behavior. 28 (5), 533–546. This reference refers to a randomised controlled trial, conducted in the USA.
McNeal, R. B., Hansen, W. B., Harrington, N. G. & Giles, S. M. (2004) How All Stars works: An examination of program effects on mediating variables. Health Education & Behavior. 31 (2), 165–178. This reference refers to a randomised controlled trial, conducted in the USA.
Slater, M. D., Kelly, K. J., Edwards, R. W., Thurman, P. J., Plested, B. A., Keefe, T. J., … & Henry, K. L. (2006) Combining in-school and community-based media efforts: reducing marijuana and alcohol uptake among younger adolescents. Health Education Research. 21 (1), 157–167. This reference refers to a randomised controlled trial, conducted in the USA.
Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation's terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.
Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.
Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.
Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.
Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.
Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.
Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.
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Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing child maltreatment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Enhancing school achievement & employment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing substance abuse: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing risky sexual behaviour & teen pregnancy: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing obesity and promoting healthy physical development: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.
Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.
Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.
Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.
Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.
Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.
Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.
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