Adolescent Substance Abuse: Case Study

-Shifting the family’s view of treatment from focusing on the adolescent as “the problem” to enhancement of family relationships as an important part of the solution.

2. The characteristics and backgrounds of the people served by this program are diverse populations, underserved, at-risk adolescents and delinquent juveniles between the ages of 11 and 18 including their families. These individuals lacked resources, were a challenge to help, and appeared unmotivated to change. A common factor these underserved populations held together were upon entrance to social services individuals expressed emotions of anger, hopelessness, and resistance to treatment.

Enrollment in treatment usually begins shortly after adjudication, and at this time adolescents routinely attend psycho-educational group treatment for substance use/abuse (Stein et al., 2006). This treatment, which has been the standard operating procedure, is designed to provide appropriate counseling and rehabilitative services for residents of the facility (Stein et al., 2006). The intervention for this study was designed to test the feasibility and effectiveness of MI prior to the standard care of

This paper serves as a tool for discussion and is divided into four parts: to begin with, a brief description of the Solution-Focused Brief Therapy approach is provided. Then provided is a description of the history and development of this therapeutic approach including common developmental and environmental factors. Next an overview of the prevalence of teen substance abuse and the possible cause’s teens chose to abuse illicit drugs and or alcohol is given. Lastly, this report will describe how the Solution-Focused-Brief Therapy approach can be applied as a therapeutic means to helping teens with

MDFT focuses on risk and protective factors at the various ecological levels to determine levels of functioning in the differing systems to guide the integrated treatment approach (Liddle, 2010). Since family functioning is vital for constructing developmentally healthy alternates to their current lifestyles, it is important that each intervention is customized to the adolescent and their family regarding history, culture, interactional style, etc., so that they can increase their developmental abilities to promote change (Liddle, 2010).

Interventions that counselors can conduct when working with families of substance abusing adolescents, is family therapy because it can focus on a wide variety of problems. Other

In adolescent psychotherapy, the therapist needs to be aware of the relationship adolescents have with each other and with their parents and caretakers. At this point in their lives, these relationships are often quite tumultuous (Holmes, Heckel, & Gordon, 1991). In addition to their social networks, the therapist also needs to be attentive to the manner in which the adolescent’s early experiences form their sense of self and respect the adolescent’s desire to be independent and be active in deciding the paths of their lives. With this in mind, the therapist will allow adolescent group members to have a more active role in participating and at times even taking a leadership role within the group sessions

As a counselor in training and an advocate for individuals’ mental health and wellness, I chose to become an official member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and create an advocacy project to enhance adolescent mental health and wellness by advocating for more available protective factor to reduce substance use and abuse among this population. The purpose of this paper/project is to address and improve the rate of substance use and abuse among adolescents in Pitt County, more specifically in Greenville, North Carolina. This paper goes into great detail of the description of the population (adolescents), providing statistical evidence of adolescents’ use of drugs in Greenville. An increase in youth involved community activities, community service work and parental involvement will be discussed as ways to create a healthy, anti-drug, and stable environment for adolescents in Greenville, North Carolina.

Coyle et al. (2016) conducted a study on 154 juveniles between the ages of 12-20 to determine if peer support had an effect on substance use/misuse. Coyle et al. (2016) infers having a positive peer network may reduce substance use/misuse. Furthermore, the study indicates adding positive support network into prevention and intervention services is beneficial in addressing substance use (Coyle, et al. 2016). Juvenile substance abuse affects these interpersonal relationships; therefore any attempt at treating the juvenile should incorporate peers and family members. Lui et al. (2017) reviewed the statistical data of 358 adolescents between ages of 13-18 as well as their parents to determine if socioeconomic status had any effect on long term abstinence. Of distinction in this study, Lui et al (2017) concluded that socioeconomic status did not have an effect on treatment or abstinence long term. YOUTH FACING TRAUMATIC BACKGROUNDS

How are Family Factors Related to Substance Use Change?” discusses the importance in family involvement in the adolescent treatment process leading to significant decreases in usage. The article backs up their conclusion with research administered among a number of adolescents and their Mothers in Quebec, Canada.

Nowadays students are not only being pressured to smoke by their peers and by their surrounding, but they are also watching their parents smoke. Many teens have been influenced by

To illustrate, several studies have identified social controls whose absence has caused adolescents to experiment and initiate in tobacco use. Starting at home, the influence of parental attitude and behavior toward adolescent smoking has a major impact on adolescent smoking. Newman and Ward (1989) sampled 735 students from 12 schools in and around one moderately sized Midwestern city, 18.5% of the sample were smokers. In this study, Newman & Ward asked the students questions via a questionnaire in order to rate the parental attitudes. One question asked was, "With regards to my smoking cigarettes, my parents/guardian would: threaten to punish me if I smoked; haven't told me how they feel if I smoke? ; have told me they don't care if I smoke" (Newman and Ward, 1989, p. 150). Two-thirds of the students reported that both parents would be upset if they smoked. An interesting note was that about two-thirds of the nonsmoking adolescents reported parental disapproval versus one-half of the smoking adolescents. The analysis of the data revealed that when neither parent smoked and

Adolescent substance abuse is a major problem in society. There are many risk factors that can contribute to adolescent substance abuse. One of the main risk factors is peer pressure. When adolescents start at a young age there is an increase in health problems, addiction, and over all poor social outcomes. Parental influence has substantial effect on adolescents because the adolescent sees their parents and they learn by their example. Media plays a role in the use of drug and alcohol use among young people. Many school systems have implemented programs that teach adolescents about the problems of substance abuse that is funded

There are many contributing factors and political issues that address substance abuse. Throughout the years, many researchers have designed many interventions and social policies designed to treat people who have used, abused, and became addicted to substances. Today, there are many new studies that address substance abuse at the individual, group, family, and community or policy levels. Today, there are many services that are effective for decreasing recidivism in youth who have completed a substance abuse program. A substance abuse treatment program or center is the best way to treat individuals who have abused substances.

Tobacco; one of the most profitable products in history, an addictive substance, and a deadly killer. Smoking tobacco used to be a thing that was endorsed in American society. Now, with the new medical advances and knowledge, society has seen the side effects of smoking and how fatal it actually is. Teenagers have been one of the largest age groups that have been affected by smoking. After analyzing all possible reasons as to why teenagers would smoke while knowing it can affect their health, three possible reasons stuck out the most. Teenagers smoke despite knowing the health problems that originate from smoking because of peer pressure, an “invincibility” mentality, and seeing a role model or family member smoke.