NCJ Number
226057
Journal
Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2009 Pages: 72-84
Date Published
January 2009
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined risk and protective mechanisms of adolescent substance abusers.
Abstract
Results support social theory and research which states that an increase in the number and complexity of healthful social relations provides protection and enhances development. The most important finding in this study may be the change in social network characteristics 12 months posttreatment. The longitudinal nature of the data is most likely picking up “noise” from maturation processes that participating adolescents are experiencing. The typical participant (mean age of 16) is experiencing rapid change physically, psychologically, and, according to these data, to some degree socially. The importance of behaviors and outcomes has yet to be placed as a primary component for most adolescent treatment models. Although many treatments address the topic, as was the case in the Motivational Enhancement Therapy/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-5 (MET/CBT-5) treatment, most treatments are still addressing adolescent substance abuse as a primarily psychological and biological event. These data could play a role in furthering research aimed at explaining the specific mechanisms and the potential active ingredients of adolescent substance use. Data were collected from 102 urban adolescents enrolled in MET/CBT-5, a brief, manualized substance abuse treatment program. Tables and references