Psychological Intervention for Adolescent Substance Abuse
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Date
2002
Authors
Williams, Robert J.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Routledge
Abstract
Most adolescent substance abusers neither seek out nor receive formal treatment
for their substance abuse. Despite this, most adolescent substance abusers eventually
curb their substance use by their mid to late 20’s (Fillmore, 1988; Kandel and Raveis, 1989;
Labouvie, 1996; Pape and Hammer, 1996). One explanation for this concerns the nature of
the teenage years that encourages experimentation with a wide variety of behaviours,
including substance use. This need for rebellion and experimentation is not as strong for
someone in their late 20’s. Another explanation concerns the process of ‘‘natural
recovery’’, where individuals simply identify and rectify their problems themselves
(Burman, 1997; Granfield & Cloud, 1999).
Sometimes overlooked are the ‘‘interventions’’ contributing to this phenomenon.
Environmental pressures are usually involved when people decide to make important
changes in their life. There are pervasive influences operating in the environments of
almost all adolescent substance abusers discouraging substance use. Anti-drug
messages are prevalent in the media, in school, and often in family and peer contexts.
The problems that sometimes occur because of substance use (parental conflict, peer
conflict, school problems, physical sequelae, employment consequences) provide further
inducement for change. The new roles that develop in the mid to late 20’s (jobs,
marriage, parenting) are other things that tend to conflict with continued substance use
(Kandel and Raveis, 1989; Labouvie, 1996).
Thus, it is important to recognize that ‘‘interventions’’ for adolescent substance
abuse are pervasive. And, for the most part, they can be said to be effective. It is a
continuum between these types of environmental pressures and formal treatment
programs. Somewhat intermediate are meetings an adolescent may have with his/her
school counselor or family physician, or attendance at drop-in group counseling sessions
provided in many high schools for substance use and abuse (Wagner, Brown, Monti,
Myers and Waldron, 1999).
Description
Abstract only.
Keywords
Substance Abuse Youth , Substance Abuse Treatment
Citation
Williams, R. J. (2002). Psychological intervention for adolescent substance abuse. In C. Essau (Ed.), Substance Abuse and Dependence in Adolescence (pp. 185-201). New York: Taylor & Francis.