The effectiveness of primary prevention intervention on the risk/protective factors of substance use behavior in adolescents: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract :

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a primary prevention intervention on the risk and protective factors related to substance use behavior in adolescents. This experimental research utilized a pretest-posttest control group design with a three-month follow-up. The study population comprised middle school students and their parents from District 19 of the Tehran Education Department. A total of 60 adolescents were randomly selected and assigned to experimental groups (each group containing 20 participants). Before and after the educational interventions, participants completed the Social Capital Questionnaire for Adolescents (Payva et al., 2014) and the Communities That Care Youth Survey (Arthur et al., 2002). Adolescents in the experimental groups underwent 10 weekly sessions of primary prevention intervention protocols focused on substance-seeking behavior. Additionally, parents in one of the experimental groups attended an educational intervention comprising three sessions. The mixed ANOVA results indicated that the primary prevention intervention effectively reduced the risk factors and increased the protective factors associated with substance use behavior in adolescents. Overall, the findings support the social development model as a comprehensive and multifaceted framework that integrates approaches like the social influence approach and the competency enhancement approach within the context of substance use prevention in adolescents. The study suggests that adolescents' resilience against substance-seeking behavior can be effectively enhanced by simultaneously addressing all contributing factors.

References:

• منابع قادري، مهدی؛ توکلي، خالد؛ احمدي، بهزاد. (1396). ترجمه و اعتباريابي پرسشنامة سرماية اجتماعي براي دانش‌آموزان نوجوان. مجلة علوم اجتماعي دانشکدة ادبيات و علوم انساني دانشگاه فردوسي مشهد، 15 (1)، 78-51.
مرآتی، علیرضا و قدم پور، عزت الله. (1401). ارائه الگوی پیوند با مدرسه بر اساس سبک های هویت و جو مدرسه با میانجی گری خودکارآمدی تحصیلی. مجله روان شناسی 26 (4)، 347-337.
وطن دوست، علی؛ خان محمدی، ارسلان؛ صادقی، جمال؛ محمدزاده، رجبعلی. (1402). نقش واسطه ای کنترل هیجانی در رابطه بین نیازهای اساسی روان شناختی با گرایش به مصرف مواد مخدر در دانش آموزان. مجله روان شناسی، 27(2)، 184-174.
Ahmad, J., Joel, U. C., Talabi, F., Bibian, O. N., Aiyesimoju, A. B., Adefemi, V. O., & Gever, V. C. (2022). Impact of social media-based intervention in reducing youths’ propensity to engage in drug abuse in Nigeria. Evaluation and Program Planning, 94, 102122
. Arthur, M. W., Hawkins, J. D., Pollard, J. A., Catalano, R. F., & Baglioni, Jr A. J. (2002). Measuring risk and protective factors for substance use, delinquency, and other adolescent problem behaviors: the Communities That Care Youth Survey. Evaluation Review, 26, 575–601
. Assim, A., Kaminer, D., Hogarth, L., Magner-Parsons, B., & Seedat, S. (2024). Coping motives as a mediator of the relationship between child maltreatment and substance use problems in South African adolescents. Child Abuse & Neglect, 154, 106885
. Baheiraei, A., Soltani, F., Ebadi, A., Cheraghi, M. A., Foroushani, A. R., & Catalano, R. F. (2016). Psychometric properties of the Iranian version of ‘Communities That Care Youth Survey’. Health Promotion International, 31, 59–72.

Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice-Hall. Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Correa, A. O., Brown, E. C., Murta, S. G., & Briney, J. S. (2022). Adaptation of the Communities That Care Youth Survey for use in Brazil: A pilot study. Health Promotion International, 37, 1-12
. Ding, F., Jia, S., Wang, P., Liu, C., & Li, Y. (2024). Effect of exercise on cravings levels in individuals with drug dependency: A systematic review. Addictive Behaviors, 158, 108127
. Franz, D. J., Schweer-Collins, M. L., Cioffi, C. C., & Leve, L. D. (2024). Adolescent child custody loss and substance use treatment as predictors of young adult substance use trajectories among females with foster care and juvenile justice involvement. Children and Youth Services Review, 157, 107421
. Gurung, D., Thapa, B., & Paudel, A. (2020). Prevalence of substance use disorders and effectiveness of educational package on knowledge regarding the disorders among adolescents in selected schools of Lekhnath, Nepal. International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology, 5(7), 934–941
. Hawkins, J. D., Catalano, R. F., Arthur, M. W., Egan, E., Brown, E. C., Abbott, R. D. et al. (2008). Testing Communities That Care: the rationale, design and behavioral baseline equivalence of the Community Youth Development Study. Prevention Science, 9, 178–190
. Hennessy, E. A., & Tanner-Smith, E. E. (2015). Effectiveness of brief school-based interventions for adolescents: A meta-analysis of alcohol use prevention programs. Prevention Science, 16(3), 463–474
. Hulsmans, D. H. G., Otten, R., Schijven, E. P., & Poelen, E. A. P. (2021). Exploring the role of emotional and behavioral problems in a personality-targeted prevention program for substance use in adolescents and young adults with intellectual disability. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 109, 103832
. Jessor, R., & Jessor, S. L. (1977). Problem behavior and psychosocial development: A longitudinal study of youth. New York: Academic Press
. Kelly, E. V., Grummitt, L. R., Birrell, L., Stapinski, L., Barrett, E. L., Boyle, J., Teesson, M., & Newton, N. C. (2021). The school-led Preventure study: Protocol of a cluster-randomised controlled trial of effectiveness to prevent adolescent alcohol misuse, internalising problems, and externalising problems through a personality-targeted intervention delivered by school staff. Preventive Medicine Reports, 21, 101286
. Khalid, S., & Kausar, S. (2016). Protective factors, drug use and depression in young drug users. Journal of Behavioural Sciences, 26, 116–134
. Kor, A., & Shoshani, A. (2023). Moderating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s and adolescents’ substance use, digital media use, and mental health: A randomized positive psychology addiction prevention program. Addictive Behaviors, 141, 107660
. Laurenzi, C. A., du Toit, S., Mawoyo, T., Luitel, N. P., Jordans, M. J. D., Pradhan, I., van der Westhuizen, C., Melendez-Torres, G. J., Hawkins, J., Moore, G., Evans, R., Lund, C., Ross, D. A., Lai, J., Servili, C., Tomlinson, M., & Skeen, S. (2024). Development of a school-based programme for mental health promotion and prevention among adolescents in Nepal and South Africa. SSM - Mental Health, 5, 100289
. Leiva, A., Estela, A., Bennasar-Veny, M., Aguilo, A., Llobera, J., & Yanez, A. M. (2018). Effectiveness of a complex intervention on smoking in adolescents: A cluster randomized controlled trial. Preventive Medicine, 114, 88–94
. Micalizzi, L., Meisel, S. N., Thomas, S, A., Parnes, J. E., Graves, H., Becker, S. J., & Spirito, A. (2024). Psychometric properties of the family assessment task parental monitoring scenario among adolescents receiving substance use treatment. Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment, 158, 209232
. Moreno, A. G., & Jurado, M. D. M. M. (2024). Intervention programs for the prevention of bullying and the promotion of prosocial behaviors in adolescence: A systematic review. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 10, 100954
. Morojele, N. K., Flisher, A. J., Muller, M., Ziervogel, C. F., Reddy, P., & Lombard, C. J. (2002). Measurement of risk and protective factors for drug use and anti-social behavior among high school students in South Africa. Journal of Drug Education, 32, 25–39
. Paiva paula, C.P., Paiva haroldo, N.D., Filho, P.M.O., Lamounier, A., Ferreira, E.F., Ferreira, R.C., Kawachi, L., & Zarzar, M.P. (2014). Development and Validation of a Social Capital Questionnaire for Adolescent Stidents (SCQ-AS). Retrieved From PLOS ONE/www.plosone.org. 9(8).e103785
. Perez-Gomez, A., Mejıa-Trujillo, J., Brown, E. C. & Eisenberg, N. (2016). Adaptation and implementation of a science-based prevention system in Colombia: challenges and achievements. Journal of Community Psychology, 44, 538–545
. Pusch, N. (2024). Estimating the prevalence and frequency of adolescent substance use using zero-inflated models and variables associated with social learning, social bond, and opportunity. Journal of Criminal Justice, 94, 102247
. Razali, M. M., & Kliewer, W. (2015).Validation of the Communities That Care measure adapted for use in Malaysia. International Perspectives in Psychology, 4, 267–280
. Sanchez, Z. M., Valente, J. Y., Sanudo, A., Pereira, A. P. D., Schneider, D. R., & Andreoni, S. (2018). Effectiveness evaluation of the school-based drug prevention program Tamojunto in Brazil: 21-month follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Drug Policy, 60, 10–17
. Sanchez, Z. M., Valente, J. V., Gusmões, J. D. P., Ferreira-Junior, V., Caetano, S. C., Cogo-Moreira, H., & Andreoni, S. (2021). Effectiveness of a school-based substance use prevention program taught by police officers in Brazil: Two cluster randomized controlled trials of the PROERD. International Journal of Drug Policy, 98, 103413
. Scheuer, H., Kuklinski, M. R., Sterling, S. A., Catalano, R. F., Beck, A., Braciszewski, J., Boggs, J., Hawkins, J. D., Loree, A. M., Weisner, C., Carey, S., Elsiss, F., Morse, E., Negusse, R., Jessen, A., Kline-Simon, A., Oesterle, S., Quesenberry, C., Sofrygin, O., & Yoon, T. (2022). Parent-focused prevention of adolescent health risk behavior: Study protocol for a multisite cluster-randomized trial implemented in pediatric primary care. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 112, 106621
. Shrestha, S., Velayudhan, B., Shashidhara Y. N., Vani Lakshmi, R., & Khattri, J. B. (2024). Effectiveness of School-based Substance abuse Prevention Programme (SSPP) on awareness, attitude, peer pressure, and life skills among adolescents in selected public schools of Pokhara, Nepal–A cluster randomized trial protocol. Mental Health & Prevention, 34, 200342
. Slade, T., Chapman, C., Conroy, C., Thornton, L., Champion, K., Stapinski, L., Koning, I., Teesson, M., & Newton, N. C. (2023). 24-month outcomes of an eHealth universal program for students and parents to prevent adolescent alcohol use: A cluster randomized controlled trial in schools. Internet Interventions, 33, 100648
. Stockings, E., Hall, W. D., Lynskey, M., Morley, K. I., Reavley, N., Strang, J., … Degenhardt, L. (2016). Prevention, early intervention, harm reduction, and treatment of substance use in young people. The Lancet Psychiatry, 3(3), 280–296
. Tael-Oeren, M., Naughton, F., & Sutton, S. (2019). A parent-oriented alcohol prevention program “Effekt” had no impact on adolescents’ alcohol use: Findings from a cluster-randomized controlled trial in Estonia. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 194, 279–287
. Teesson, M., Birrell, L., Slade, T., Mewton, L. R., Olsen, N., Hides, L., McBride, N., Chatterton, M. L., Allsop, S., Furneaux-Bate, A., Bryant, Z., Ellem, R., Baker, M. J., Healy, A., Debenham, J., Boyle, J., Mather, M., Mihalopoulos, C., Chapman, C., & Newton, N. C. (2024). Effectiveness of a universal, school-based, online programme for the prevention of anxiety, depression, and substance misuse among adolescents in Australia: 72-month outcomes from a cluster-randomised controlled trial. Lancet Digit Health, 6, 334–344
. Toumbourou, J. W. (2017). Communities That Care International Meeting. Presentation at the 25th Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research,Washington, DC. Tremblay, M., Baydala, L., Khan, M., Currie, C., Morley, K., Burkholder, C., … Stillar, A. (2020). Primary substance use prevention programs for children and youth: A systematic review. Pediatrics, 146(3), e20192747
. UNICEF. (2022). Adolescents Statistics. Investing in a safe, healthy and productive transition from childhood to adulyhood critical. https://data.unicef.org>Adolescents. Van Horn, M. L., Fagan, A. A., Hawkins, J. D., & Oesterle, S. (2014). Effects of the Communities That Care System on cross-sectional profiles of adolescent substance use and delinquency. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 47(2), 188–197
. Varela, J. J., Torres-Vallejos, J., Gonzalez, C. & Garcıa, O. (2020).La percepcion de apego con la escuela como un factor protector para conductas antisociales en escolares chilenos. Psykhe, 29, 1–12
. Wong, D. F. K., Zhuang, X., & Ng, T. K. (2020). Effectiveness of a culturally-attuned integrated cognitive behavioural therapy for Chinese young people with drug abuse in Hong Kong. Children and Youth Services Review, 113, 104970
. Yoon, S., Calabrese, J. R., Yang, J., Logan, J. A. R., Maguire-Jack, K., Min, M. O., Slesnick, N., Browning, C. R., & Hamby, S. (2024). Association between longitudinal patterns of child maltreatment experiences and adolescent substance use. Child Abuse & Neglect, 147, 106533
.