Adolescent Substance Abuse: Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery

The Prevention Researcher, Volume 18, Number 2, 2011, Item# 182

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Almost a quarter of high school seniors have used an illicit drug in the past 30 days and an almost equal percent have been drunk at least once in the same time frame. Given these statistics, it is easy to see why so much time and attention has been spent on preventing adolescent substance use. Yet at the same time, youth are already using substances, and some have developed substance use disorders.

In this issue of The Prevention Researcher, we examine best practices for prevention, intervention, and recovery. We begin with an article by Steve Sussman who overviews prevention, treatment, and recovery support programs designed for youth. Dr. Sussman shows us why there isn’t always a clear distinction between them.

One of the keys to success for preventive programming is that it be culturally relevant to the youth and families it is targeting. Building on the treatment programs introduced by Dr. Sussman, Jeremy Goldbach and colleagues explore the unique risk and protective factors of Latino youth and families, and how those can be captured for optimal intervention programming.

For all youth, families are instrumental in protecting them from substance use. In our next article, Keith King and Rebecca Vidourek explore how professionals can work with parents to improve communication about drug use with their adolescent-aged children.

An often neglected need is that of supporting youth who are in recovery. Maintaining sobriety can be difficult for anyone recovering from addiction, and there are few recovery support systems in place for adolescents and young adults. John de Miranda and Greg Williams attempt to fill this void in their article specifically about supporting adolescents in recovery.

Finally, our last article by Ken Winters and Amelia Arria, explores how adolescent brain development may be related to substance use and abuse. Understanding how drugs affect brain development should assist us in our prevention and intervention efforts.

The goal of this issue is to encourage professionals who work with youth to look beyond prevention programs. While prevention is important, many youth are already using substances, sometimes at alarming levels, and many youth are struggling in their recovery efforts.

View the Table of Contents

Articles in this issue:

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Adolescent Brain Development and Drugs

By Ken C. Winters, Ph.D., and Amelia Arria, Ph.D.

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Enhancing Parent-Child Communication about Drug Use: Strategies for Professionals Working with Parents and Guardians

By Keith A. King, Ph.D., and Rebecca A. Vidourek, Ph.D.

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Preventing and Treating Substance Abuse Among Adolescents

By Steve Sussman

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Special Considerations for Substance Abuse Intervention with Latino Youth

By Jeremy T. Goldbach, LMSW., Sanna J. Thompson, Ph.D., and Lori K. Holleran Steiker, Ph.D.

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Youth in Recovery

By John de Miranda, Ed.M., and Greg Williams, B.A.

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Working with Youth and Families

This collection of issues from The Prevention Researcher provides research-based information about some of the more prevalent topics facing youth and families today. With this one collection, social workers, counselors, and others who work with youth will learn about positive ways to support youth as they cope with personal or family issues. This collection includes 15 different issues in both print and digital formats, the video DVD Troop 1500: Girl Scouts Beyond Bars, and a handy three-ring binder to store everything in. All for only $325.00

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