Substance use prevention for adolescents: the Icelandic Model

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Adolescent Psychology

Background:

• Adolescent substance use is a significant concern in European countries.
• Existing prevention strategies require evidence-based, community-integrated models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development, implementation, and impact of the Icelandic Model of Adolescent Substance Use Prevention.
• To evaluate the model's effectiveness in reducing substance use and enhancing protective factors in adolescents.

Main Methods:

• Development of a theoretically grounded, community-based prevention program.
• Implementation of the Icelandic Model involving policymakers, scientists, practitioners, and residents.
• Annual cross-sectional surveys of over 7000 adolescents (ages 14-16) from 1997 to 2007.

Main Results:

• Significant declines in adolescent drunkenness, daily smoking, and hashish use were observed.
• Substantial increases in adolescents spending time with parents and parental awareness of their children's activities.
• Positive changes noted in other community-level protective factors.

Conclusions:

• The Icelandic Model successfully enhanced parental, school, and community protective factors.
• The observed reduction in adolescent substance use suggests the model's effectiveness, though correlational data requires cautious interpretation.