Chapter 25 - Adolescent alcohol and substance abuse

Summary

This chapter outlines the literature on the prevalence of adolescent substance use worldwide and describes empirically supported treatments for adolescent substance abuse. The largest literature on the prevalence of adolescent substance use is drawn from nationally representative data collected in the United States, Europe, and Australia. Evidence from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) report illustrates similar declines in tobacco use in the United States over recent years. Efforts to establish estimates of adolescent substance use levels in developing countries have increased in recent years through partnerships between multinational organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), and community-level agencies. Interventions for adolescent substance use disorders (SUDs) are organized around the target of intervention, including individual-level, family-level, and community-level approaches. Most of this work has taken place within the USA, although recent research suggests that many of these interventions are adaptable to other regions.