A Review of Personality-Targeted Interventions for Prevention of Substance Misuse and Related Harm in Community Samples of Adolescents

Abstract

Several school-based prevention programmes have been developed and used to prevent, delay, or reduce substance misuse, and related problems among community samples of adolescents. However, findings indicate that many of these interventions are associated with null, small, or mixed effects in reducing adolescent substance misuse, in particular for those mostly at risk of transitioning to substance use disorders. These findings highlight the need to shift the focus of substance use prevention efforts toward intervention strategies which directly target high-risk adolescents. The Preventure programme was designed to target four personality risk factors for substance misuse: hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking. This article reviews findings from the previous trials of personality-targeted interventions (i.e., Preventure programme) with adolescents and discuss the promises and benefits of these interventions for targeting community samples of high-risk adolescents at school level for reducing substance misuse and related mental health problems. Findings indicated that this programme has been successful in reducing the rates of alcohol and illicit drug use and substance-related harms by ~50% in high-risk adolescents with the effects last for up to 3 years. These interventions were also associated with a 25% reduction in likelihood of transitioning to mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and conduct problems. The programme is particularly beneficial for youth with more significant risk profiles, such as youth reporting clinically significant levels of externalizing problems, and victimized adolescents. A key strength of the Preventure programme is that it is embedded in the community and provides substance use intervention at school level to the general samples of high-risk adolescents who might not otherwise have access to those programmes.

Externalizing Risk Pathways for Adolescent Substance Use and Its Developmental Onset: A Canadian Birth Cohort Study: Trajectoires de comportements extériorisés et le risque pour l’initiation et l’usage de substances des adolescents : Une étude de cohorte de naissance canadienne

“…Thus, risk behaviors related to substance use problems emerge early in childhood, emphasizing the importance of early interventions that target these problems. 56,62,63…”

Targets for intervention to prevent substance use in young people exposed to childhood adversity: A systematic review

“…From birth to age 2, interventions to promote supportive and warm relationships with a caregiver should be prioritised, such as Circle of Support parenting and Triple P [ 102 , 103 ]. From childhood, existing school-based programs such as the Preventure program show promise for reducing substance use by targeting internalising and externalising problems and addressing coping skills [ 104 , 105 ]. In addition, implementing strategies to remedy early learning difficulties could prevent the flow on effects of reduced educational attainment, delinquency and substance use problems demonstrated in the current review [ 60 ].…”

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

“…It is essential that schools are able to deliver evidence-based programs for preventing problematic alcohol use and mental ill-health that are practicable. Preventure is a brief and low-cost program, that can be incorporated into the school curriculum, addressing core components of PDHPE ( Edalati and Conrod, 2019 , Miller, 2008 ). Moreover, upskilling existing school staff already embedded within the school, rather than relying on external psychologists, has the potential to further reduce costs and increase longevity of program implementation.…”