The Breadth and Prevalence of Adolescent Substance Abuse

Paper Summary:

This paper is made up of two chapters that provide a general overview of adolescent substance abuse, followed by a discussion of some of the more salient societal implications involved. An analysis of some of the more common types of substances currently abused by American adolescents is followed by a discussion of the various factors that have been shown to contribute to adolescent substance abuse behaviors as well as some behaviors that have been shown to mediate such risk. The second chapter provides a description and overview of what steps clinicians should follow in formulating treatment plans for adolescent substance abusers and the four primary types of interventions used in the treatment of adolescent substance abuse in use in the United States today. The paper also includes tables and diagrams for reference.

Outline:
Introduction
General Overview
Types of Substances Typically Abused by Adolescents
Tobacco Abuse by Adolescents
Alcohol Abuse by Adolescents
Inhalants as Abused Substances
Marijuana Use among Adolescents
Statistics/Incidence of Adolescent Substance Abuse
Societal Implications
Treatment Programs for Adolescent Substance Abuse, Including Effectiveness or Lack Thereof
Introduction
Family-Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
12-Step Programs
Motivational Interviewing
Chapter Summary
Summary
Conclusions
Recommendations

From the Paper:

"The breadth of the problem under consideration is vast and its economic consequences enormous because substance abuse describes the destructive or harmful use of alcohol and other drugs in any situation. Therefore, substance abuse includes not only drinking or drug use by individuals who, because of their social, emotional, or genetic heritage, use alcohol and other drugs compulsively or without control, but also any drinking or drug use that potentially endangers the drinker or others (Ammerman, Ott & Tarter, 1999). These facets will be described in greater detail in the section on "Societal Implications," following the section entitled, Types of Substances Typically Abused by Adolescents, and the section entitled Statistics/Incidence of Adolescent Substance Abuse."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Adamczyk-Robinette, S. L., Fletcher, A. C., & Wright, K. (2002). Understanding the authoritative parenting-early adolescent tobacco use link: The mediating role of peer tobacco use. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 31(4), 311.
• American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
• Ammerman, R. T., Ott, P. J., & Tarter, R. E. (1999). Prevention and societal impact of drug and alcohol abuse. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• August, G. J., Bloomquist, M. L., Braswell, L., Crosby, R. D., Realmuto, G. M., & Skare, S. S. (1997). School-based secondary prevention for children with disruptive behavior: Initial outcomes. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 25(3), 197.
• Barrett, K., Dakof, G. A., Diamond, G. S., Liddle, H. A., Parker, K., & Tejeda, M. (2001). Multidimensional family therapy for adolescent drug abuse: Results of a randomized clinical trial. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 27(4), 651.

More papers on The Breadth and Prevalence of Adolescent Substance Abuse:

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