Principles of Adolescent Substance Use Disorders: A Research-Based Guide

How to Use

Use the Table of Contents on page 4 to help guide your reading. Depending on where your family is on the continuum of needs, there may be specific sections of the guide that are most important to you.

Who Should Use

Parents of young adolescents (12-16) and parents of older teens/young adults (17-25) should use this resource. It may also be helpful for teachers/community support personnel to learn about specific considerations and treatment options for adolescent and young adult substance users.

Scientific Background

This resource was created by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and is widely used by health care providers, families and others needing information on addiction and treatment. NIDA is represented under the National Institutes of Health with a mission to advance science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health.

NIDA supports and conducts basic and clinical research on drug use, its consequences and the underlying neurobiological, behavioral and social mechanisms involved. NIDA works to ensure the effective translation, implementation and dissemination of scientific research findings to improve the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders.

There are multiple publications and citations that support this guide, all of which can be found at the end of the guide, including the following:

Johnston, L.D.; O’Malley, P.M.; Bachman, J.G.; and Schulenberg, J.E. Monitoring the Future National Results on Adolescent Drug Use: Overview of Key Findings, 2013. Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2013.

Dennis, M.L.; White, M.; and Ives, M.I. Individual characteristics and needs associated with substance misuse of adolescents and young adults in addiction treatment. In Carl Leukefeld, Tom Gullotta, and Michele Staton Tindall (eds.), Handbook on Adolescent  Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment: Evidence-Based Practice. New London, CT: Child and Family Agency Press, 2009.

Chan, Y.F.; Dennis, M.L.; and Funk, R.R. (2008) Prevalence and co-morbidity co-occurrence of major internalizing and externalizing disorders among adolescents and adults presenting to substance abuse treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment (34):14–24.