The one-session evidence-based SPORT (Substance Prevention Optimizing Resiliency Training) alcohol and drug Prevention Plus Wellness (PPW) program was provided to students in rural Georgia middle school classrooms during the 2025-2026 school year.
Students completed an anonymous online posttest survey immediately after the lesson asking them what they “liked best” about the program.
The responses from this question provided qualitative data which was analyzed to understanding what youth think about receiving the SPORT PPW program.
The data analysis process included:
· Identifying core themes by grouping similar responses into distinct categories.
· Measuring the frequency of similar responses to identify which comments were mentioned the most.
· Extracting key quotes for each theme that highlighted what resonated most with students.
A total of 1,246 valid text responses were analyzed for similar vocabulary using Google Gemini AI.
Participants were equally distributed in gender (49% male and 49% female), mostly 11 to 13 years old (90%), and either White (47%) or Black (31%).
Core Theme Findings
1. Health & Healthy Habits (288 Mentions). The most prominent theme centered around general health, with students appreciating the focus on practical, daily habits like sleep, exercise, and diet.
Representative Quotes:
· "saying that we need to eat a healthy breakfast because I haven't ate breakfast in a long time"
· "How to get more healthy"o
2. Substance Use Risk Awareness (175 Mentions). Many respondents specifically valued the direct information regarding the dangers of vaping, smoking, and drug use. There was a recurring appreciation for learning why these substances are bad, rather than just being told not to use them.
Representative Quotes:
· "I liked the part where she told us about how it affected us and how they targeted us it made me feel as if I should try harder to stay away from harmful substances."
· "The part about the lesson that I liked most was the information about vaping and how it can harm your health."
3. Motivation & Goal Setting (173 Mentions). A significant portion of students highlighted the psychological and future-planning aspects of the lesson. The emphasis on goal setting and motivation clearly resonated as a tool for avoiding risky habits.
Representative Quotes:
· "It motivates you to set goals."
· "The lesson could help me not vape or smoke in the future."
4. New Learning & Information (100 Mentions). Respondents frequently mentioned that they liked "learning" new facts or "knowing" what certain behaviors actually do to the body.
Representative Quotes:
· "what happens when you do bad things that we learned"
· "I learned that drugs are bad."
5. Comprehension & Clear (39 Mentions). A smaller, but notable group focused on the delivery of the lesson itself, stating that it was easy to understand or cleared up confusion between different concepts.
Representative Quotes:
· "I liked that it helped me understand better."
· "It helped me understand the differences between marijuana and tobacco cigarettes."
Conclusion
An analysis of qualitative responses from rural middle school students receiving the SPORT PPW program found five key themes indicating what youth think of the program.
The most frequently cited responses coalesced into themes representing: 1) Health and healthy behaviors, 2) Substance use risk awareness, and 3) Motivation and goal setting.
These qualitative data findings parallel the content found within the SPORT PPW program lesson and support quantitative data reported in previously published evaluations and case studies showing SPORT PPW increases youth perceptions of the harmfulness of substance use, awareness of the benefits of healthy habits, and motivation and interest in setting goals to change future health behaviors.