CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF

ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE

AND ABUSE
ω Substance use among adolescents
ranges from experimentation to
severe substance use disorders.
ω Adolescents are vulnerable to the
effects of substance use and are at
increase risk of developing long
term consequences.
  Academics
ω Substance abuse during  Physical Health
adolescence, whatever it’s  Mental Health
antecedents, is associated with a  Peers
host of other problems.  Families
 Delinquency
Academics

Declining grades
Absenteeism from school and other activities
Increased potential of dropping out of school
Physical Health

Injuries due to accidents

Physical disabilities and diseases (e.g., cancer, heart
disease, and kidney and liver damage)
The effects of possible overdoses
Mental Health

Depression
Suicidal thoughts
Apathy, withdrawal, and other psychological dysfunctions
Peers

Substance-abusing youth are often alienated from and

stigmatized by their peers
Families

May result in family crises and jeopardize many aspects of

family life, sometimes resulting in family dysfunction
Delinquency

Substance abuse is associated with both violent and

income-generating crimes by youth
Four sets of risk factor which adolescents are
most likely to become substance abusers:
 Individuals with certain
personality characteristics
are most likely to develop
drug and alcohol
Psychological problems than their peers.
These characteristics
include anger, impulsivity,
and inattentiveness.
 Individuals with distant,
hostile, or conflicted family
relationships are most likely
Familial to develop substance
abuse problems than are
their peers who grow up in
close, nurturing families.
 Individuals with substance
problems are most likely to
have friends who use and
Social tolerate the use of drugs,
both because they are
influenced by these
friends and because they
are dram to them.
 Adolescents who become
substance abusers are
Contextual more likely to live in a
social context that makes
drug use easier

Protective factors
- decrease the likelihood of
adolescent’s engaging in substance
abuse.
 Positive mental health
 High academic achievement
 Engagement in school
 Close family relationships
 Involvement in religious activities
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF
SUBSTANCE USE AND ABUSE

Efforts to prevent substance
use and abuse among
teenagers focus on three
factors:
 The supply of drugs
 The environment in which
teenagers may be exposed to
drugs
 Characteristics of potential drug
user
 However,

 The most encouraging have been

ɷ The results of research found in programs that do not focus
designed to evaluate just on the individual adolescent, but
different sorts of rather combine some sort of social
individual-focused competence training with a
approaches have not community wide intervention aimed
been especially not only at adolescents but also at
encouraging.
their peers, parents and teachers.
ɷ One of the problems with all
prevention programs is that
they often do not distinguish
between drug use and drug
abuse.
Evaluations of treatment
programs for adolescents
who are genuine drug
abusers suggest that efforts
which involve the
adolescent’s family, not just
the teenager, are more likely
to be successful.