Primary Substance Use Prevention Programs for Children and Youth: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychology
• Education

Background:

• Substance abuse prevention programs are crucial for school-aged children and youth.
• An updated synthesis of research can improve the uptake of effective prevention strategies.
• Evidence-based programs require clear information for practitioners and policymakers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and assess the scientific evidence for psychoactive substance abuse prevention programs.
• To evaluate programs designed for a general population of school-aged children and youth.
• To identify programs with proven effectiveness in preventing substance abuse.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of studies published up to March 31, 2020.
• Inclusion criteria focused on general population programs for children and youth with a control group.
• Independent screening, quality evaluation, and data extraction by two reviewers.

Main Results:

• Ninety studies met eligibility criteria, evaluating 16 distinct programs.
• Prominent programs included Drug Abuse Resistance Education, Project Adolescent Learning Experiences Resistance Training, Life Skills Training (LST), Adolescent Alcohol Prevention Trial, and Project Choice.
• The Life Skills Training (LST) program has been the most extensively researched.

Conclusions:

• The review provides an updated summary of evidence for the effectiveness of primary substance abuse prevention programs.
• Heterogeneity in outcome measures prevented a statistical meta-analysis.
• While LST has the most research, the quality of studies varies, impacting definitive conclusions on its effectiveness.