The collaborative partners carried out a quantitative study and a qualitative study into the high-risk behaviour of adolescents in the EMR. The results determined the further course of the project.
In the autumn of 2001, 46,000 pupils in secondary education participated in the quantitative study, the Euregional Study of Adolescents 2001-2002. They were almost all 14-year-olds and 16-year-olds from the EMR. This study helped to improve regional and euregional preventative policy. The Euregional Study of Adolescents was repeated in 2006-2007 and in 2013.
The qualitative study looked for similarities and differences between regions:
- What legislation and structures exist?
- Who is responsible for what?
- What do citizens think about alcohol and drugs? (social acceptance)
- What words are used? What do they mean?
- How do they work?
Research increases our insight into the differences in culture and working methods. This improved people’s mutual understanding, which had a positive effect on the collaboration.