Related Experiment Videos
Substance dependency treatment for adolescents: practice and research
1Center for Therapeutic Community Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., New York, New York 10048, USA.
Substance Use & Misuse
|January 4, 2001
Summary
This review covers adolescent substance abuse treatments, including outpatient 12-step and family therapies, and residential therapeutic communities. Effective interventions are tailored to individual adolescent needs and co-occurring issues.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Adolescent Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Adolescent substance abuse presents complex challenges, often co-occurring with other psychological and social problems.
- Effective treatment requires addressing age-specific developmental, cultural, and gender-related issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review common and effective treatment approaches for adolescent substance abuse.
- To highlight the importance of tailoring interventions to individual adolescent needs.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of established outpatient and residential treatment modalities for adolescent substance abuse.
- Analysis of treatment effectiveness based on the extent of substance use and co-occurring problems.
Main Results:
- Outpatient approaches include 12-step based programs and family-based therapies, used independently or combined.
- Residential therapeutic communities leverage peer support for social and psychological change.
- Both outpatient and residential treatments show effectiveness in adolescent populations.
Conclusions:
- Treatment selection should be individualized based on the adolescent's specific needs, substance use severity, and associated problems.
- Comprehensive treatment must consider developmental stage, cultural context, and gender issues relevant to adolescents.