Curriculum

Details: Published: 18 March 2025; Hits: 10

aod image25 Recent evidence emphasises the crucial role of lived experience in prevention.

An example again comes from the Well Communities' approach, which utilises Behavioural Health Companions and Recovery Coaches with personal addiction experience. This peer-based model shows remarkable outcomes, with 73% of retained participants engaging in active volunteering and 39% securing stable employment. These results prove particularly significant given their success with highly vulnerable populations, including individuals with histories of offending, substance misuse, social exclusion, and dual diagnosis. This peer-based model has proven especially effective because:

Peers can engage vulnerable populations more effectively than traditional healthcare providers
Lived experience creates authentic relationships that support long-term recovery
Recovery coaches serve as visible proof that change is possible
The human assets tasked in an evidence-based education pedagogy this ‘knowledge placeholder’ can be an incredibly effective prevention education investor
Peer support reduces stigma and increases program engagement

The evidence suggests that prevention through peer support and community engagement isn't just more humane - it's more effective and cost-efficient than traditional treatment-focused approaches.

This model, adapted slightly, can be tasked in a prevention education arena enabling these recovery alumni to add their lived experience and earned resilience to an evidence-based demand reduction education program of resilience building. (excerpt page 9)

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Details: Published: 05 March 2025; Hits: 39

(The following research reveals again the need to embrace the indispensable arena of the Affective Domain of Education for best practice protective behaviours development. The imperatives of positive behaviour developing protocols has never been more crucial. Ethics, morals and/or other anthropologically sound behavioural guidelines are a key factor in framing decision making and managing stimuli in the developing human.

World famous Existential Psychologist Rollo May once stated that; “a person can overcome anxiety to the extent that their values are greater than the threat.” The formation of best practice health and well-being values has always been vital for an emerging citizens healthy understanding of self, along with their community responsibility and contribution development contribution.

So, ignoring these imperatives is not an option, and passive acquiescence to ‘cultural-market’ forces only diminish the brains capacity to understand and engage with ‘stimuli’ as it presents. The question remains for us all… Who or what is informing these ‘values’; are they best practice, and who says?

Dalgarno Institute)

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brin25 Groundbreaking research has uncovered how changes in brain connectivity tied to cognitive control could serve as early indicators of adolescent substance use risk. The study highlights how understanding neural mechanisms can predict when teenagers might experiment with harmful substances, including alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.

Seven-Year Study Offers Key Findings: Led by Dr. Jungmeen Kim-Spoon from Virginia Tech, researchers conducted a seven-year study involving 91 adolescents aged 14 to 21, none of whom had used substances at the beginning. Using advanced brain scans and behavioural tests, the team identified neural patterns linked to adolescent substance use risk, predicting who might initiate substance use before it occurred.

Adolescents with stronger neural connectivity between the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex showed a tendency to delay substance use. However, those with weaker connectivity in these regions—and changes in connections across other brain areas—were at greater risk of starting substance use earlier and engaging more frequently.

Strengthening Cognitive Control as a Shield: The findings emphasise the critical role of cognitive control in shielding teens from the dangers of substance use. Cognitive control helps individuals regulate impulses and resist temptations. According to co-investigator Dr Ya-Yun Chen, subtle changes in brain connectivity—rather than behavioural traits like decision-making—acted as more reliable indicators of substance use risk.

Implications for Prevention Strategies: Dr Kim-Spoon stressed the importance of these discoveries in shaping effective intervention strategies. By focusing on strengthening cognitive control during early adolescence, parents, educators, and health professionals can work together to prevent young people from engaging in risky behaviours that often lead to addiction and other negative outcomes.

The Broader Context of Teen Substance Use Danger: Statistics reveal that more than two-thirds of individuals aged 12 to 17 in the United States experiment with substances annually. This study offers an urgent reminder that acting early is vital. Preventing substance use through education, while promoting robust neural development, could provide adolescents with the tools they need for healthy, substance-free lives.

The findings call for joint efforts from families, schools, and policymakers to help young people maintain their well-being and avoid the pitfalls of substance use. (Source: News-Medical.net)

Details: Published: 05 March 2025; Hits: 41

Parental substance use sends shockwaves through the lives of children, shattering their sense of safety, disrupting their development, and undermining their most basic rights. It fuels a chain reaction of vulnerability, entrenching cycles of trauma, poverty, and instability that rob children of the innocence and security they deserve. With every statistic lies the story of a child navigating fractured families, bearing invisible burdens, and longing for solace.

This urgent crisis demands unwavering focus, innovative solutions, and a collective commitment to protect and restore the futures of the youngest and most vulnerable among us.

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Details: Published: 19 February 2025; Hits: 62

Understanding Factors Influencing Adolescent Substance Use

hoodygirl The teenage years are a time of growth and change, but they can also be a time of risk. (See Exploration or Experimentation – Who Says?)During this stage, young people are heavily influenced by the people around them, especially their friends. When peers use drugs or drink alcohol, it can have a big impact on whether a teenager decides to do the same. But why does this happen, and what can make some teens more likely to follow their friends—or more likely to say no?

Here, we’ll look at the things that increase or reduce the risk of young people trying harmful substances. By understanding these factors, parents, schools, and communities can come together to protect young people and help them make healthier choices.

Why Are Teenagers Influenced by Their Friends?

Teenagers often want to fit in and be accepted, which can make them more likely to copy their friends’ behaviour. At the same time, their brains are still developing, especially the parts responsible for decision-making and self-control. This combination means teens are more vulnerable to peer pressure.

“Social influences are central, powerful factors that promote experimentation or initiation of substance use. Along with exposure to positive attitudes and expectations regarding substance use, the modelling of substance use behaviour by important others (e.g., parents, older siblings, and peers) is a critical negative social influence.” (Source: PMC) (See Thermostat or Thermometer – Who’s calling the shots?)

Research shows that while this influence is strongest between the ages of 12 and 15, it starts to lessen as teenagers get older. This is why it’s so important to help guide young people early on, before they fall into habits that could harm them.

How Family Can Protect Teens

One of the most powerful ways to protect teenagers from trying drugs or alcohol is through strong family relationships. Teens who feel close to their parents and know that their family disapproves of substance use are less likely to try it, even if their friends do.

However, the opposite is also true—if siblings or other family members use substances, it can make teens more likely to follow that example. Families play a major role in setting a good example and creating a home environment free from harmful substances.

The Role of Schools

Schools play a huge part in shaping how young people think and behave. Schools that take a strong stance against drugs and alcohol create a safer environment for students. When teens feel connected to their school and are engaged in activities, they are less likely to follow peers into risky behaviours.

Conversely, teenagers who struggle with schoolwork or who attend poorly managed schools are at a higher risk of being influenced by substance-using peers. Schools need to offer more than lessons—they need to help students feel supported and part of a community with positive values.

Friends and Social Groups Matter

The friendships teens form can be both a risk and a safeguard. Teens with supportive friends who don’t use drugs or alcohol are less likely to try these substances. But for those with friends who do use them, the pressure to fit in can be strong.

Close friendships can sometimes work against teens if substances like alcohol or cannabis are seen as normal in their social circle. Encouraging teens to mix with a variety of peers and to join positive social groups can reduce this risk. (See Beating the toxic contagions and becoming a ‘change agent’)

Community Factors and Their Influence

The neighbourhoods and communities teens live in also have an impact. Living in areas where substance use is common or where there’s visible crime can normalise risky behaviours and make teens more likely to use drugs or alcohol.

However, community-based initiatives, sports clubs, and structured extracurricular activities can shield adolescents, offering alternative pathways for social bonding and self-esteem development. Formal sports participation – as opposed to unstructured or informal gatherings – particularly stands out as a protective factor, creating an environment where effort, teamwork, and discipline are prioritised over substance use.

The Power of Prevention

Prevention is key to protecting teenagers from falling into substance use. “The most effective prevention programs target salient risk and protective factors at the individual, family, and/or community levels and are guided by relevant psychosocial theories regarding the etiology of substance use and abuse.” (Source: PMC) By addressing these factors, prevention efforts can make a meaningful difference in delaying or avoiding substance use altogether. Adolescents benefit most from interventions that involve their families, schools, and wider community, showing that a collaborative approach works best.

Helping Teens Make Healthier Choices

Protecting young people from the risks of drugs and alcohol isn’t just the job of parents or teachers—it’s something that requires everyone’s effort. Families, schools, and communities all need to play a role in creating safe environments and promoting positive behaviours. (See Reward & Rebellion – Making & Breaking Habits)

Here are a few ways to help teens say no to harmful substances:

Build strong, supportive family relationships.
Encourage teens to join sports, clubs, or other structured activities.
Provide clear expectations and consequences around substance use.
Teach decision-making skills and emotional control to help teens resist peer pressure.

Adolescence is a time when young people are figuring out who they are and what they want in life. By guiding them and giving them the tools to make healthy decisions, we can help them lead substance-free lives and reach their full potential.

When families, schools, and communities work together, we can protect young people and give them the support they need to make better, healthier choices. It’s a responsibility we all share, and the impact can last a lifetime. (Source: Springer Nature Link)

Details: Published: 05 February 2025; Hits: 102

Adolescence is a crucial period for shaping future behaviour and habits, and unfortunately, marijuana use among teenagers remains a growing concern. Research published in the Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine sheds light on several risk and protective factors associated with adolescent marijuana use, emphasising the critical role parents and societal influences play in prevention.

The Risks of Adolescent Marijuana Use: A significant finding from the study highlights that the use of other substances, such as cigarettes, alcohol, and e-cigarettes, massively increases the likelihood of marijuana use amongst adolescents. For instance, teenagers who drink alcohol were nearly three times more likely to use marijuana, while the presence of peer influence played an even greater role. Adolescents whose friends used cannabis were a staggering 10 times more likely to become users themselves.

This underscores the profound danger of normalising substance use within social environments, especially among impressionable teenagers. Peer pressure and the desire to fit in can steer adolescents towards risky behaviours that could have long-term consequences.

Parental Guidance as a Protective Factor: Parents are the first line of defence against adolescent substance abuse. The study highlighted that parental attitudes and supervision are among the most effective protective factors against marijuana use. Adolescents with parents who strongly opposed marijuana use were far less likely to indulge in it compared to those with indifferent or ambivalent guardians.

On the other hand, lack of parental supervision and engagement was directly tied to increased substance misuse. Teens left unsupervised, or in environments with lax parental boundaries, were significantly more likely to experiment with drugs.

To prevent such scenarios, parents must ensure they are actively involved in their children’s lives. This includes setting clear rules, fostering open communication, and frequently monitoring adolescent activities. Evidence suggests that when parents spend regular, meaningful time with their children, the likelihood of risky behaviour drops substantially.

Awareness of Harm Protects Adolescents: The recognition that marijuana use causes harm is an essential protective factor. Teenagers who understand and acknowledge the risks of cannabis are far less likely to use it. This emphasises the need for education and awareness campaigns that clearly communicate the health risks of marijuana and other substances.

When society collectively champions the idea that drug use, in any form, has serious negative consequences, it reinforces a culture of prevention. Schools, communities, and parents must work together to ensure adolescents are equipped with knowledge and tools to resist external influences.

Building a Drug-Free Future: The findings of this study stand as a clear warning and call to action. Prevention begins at home, with parents leading the way. Strong parental guidance, coupled with education about the dangers of substance use, creates a robust shield against external pressures. While peer influence and normalised drug use in society remain significant risks, committed parenting can counter these threats.

Parents must strive to create supportive, structured environments that discourage the use of marijuana or any other substances. By fostering strong relationships with their children and reinforcing the value of a healthy, drug-free lifestyle, we can build stronger families and a safer future for younger generations.

If you’re a parent or community leader, take action today. The role you play could be life-changing. Together, we can protect adolescents and ensure they stay on the path to a healthier and brighter future (Source:WRD News)

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