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Continued Decline in Youth Substance Abuse

Current illicit drug use among teens is continuing to decline, according to a new report by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released today. The study also shows positive signs that teens are seeing the dangers of abusing prescription drugs and methamphetamine and are pushing back. Among youth ages 12-17, the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), the Nation's largest substance use survey, shows that the significant decline in overall past month illicit drug use that began in 2002 continued through 2007, from 11.6 percent to 9.5 percent.

The survey, released at the start of the 19th Annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, shows that the reductions in youth drug use occurred for nearly every type of illicit drug including marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens, LSD, and Ecstasy. The survey also shows dramatic declines in meth use, down by 67 percent (from 0.3% to 0.1%) and prescription drug abuse among teens, which declined overall by 18 percent, from 4 percent to 3.3 percent between 2002-2007.

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Counseling Difficult-to-Reach Adolescent Males with Substance Use Disorders: Strength-based Approach

Feature Articles - Treatment Strategies or Protocols

Written by Shannon Mayeda, PhD, LCSW, CRADC and Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC

Monday, 06 August 2007

Difficult-to-reach adolescent males with substance use disorders often engage in behaviors that can lead to a “failure identity,” including delinquency, crime, truancy, academic failure, destructive peer group affiliation, substance use and relapse. Our traditional approach is in dire contrast to the strength-based approach, in that it can leave difficult-to-reach adolescent males feeling more inadequate, incapable, labeled, stigmatized, defiant and more difficult to reach than before they entered our program (Sanders, 2006). The strength-based approach views difficult-to-reach adolescent males with substance use disorders in light of their capabilities, talents, gifts, competencies, accomplishments, resilience, values, hopes, visions, dreams and possibilities. This approach zeros in on what clients know, what they can do, and resources that exist within and around them to help with the change process (Saleebey, 2002).

There are aspects of the traditional approach that, while well intentioned, can contribute to poor self-image, resistance to counseling and premature termination. These aspects include:

1) Deficit-centered intake questions. Even prior to the establishment of rapport, these young males are asked questions such as:

• How much alcohol have you
consumed in the past month?
• Have you ever used cocaine?
• Have you ever sold drugs?
• How many times have you gone to treatment?
• How many times have you relapsed?
• Have you ever shared a “dirty needle?”
• Have you ever been treated for mental illness?
• Have you ever taken psychiatric medication?
• Have you ever been suspended from school?
• Have you ever been evicted from school?
• How many times have you been arrested?
• Do you have a criminal record?
• Are you in a street gang?

One of the greatest difficulties with this line of questioning is that often it is not balanced with questions that suggest the adolescent male has strengths and/or accomplishments.

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