A Review to Identify Gaps in Research and Service Delivery for Substance Use Prevention among At-risk Adolescents Involved in Child Welfare System: The Promises of Targeted Interventions

Abstract

Adolescents involved with the child welfare system are at a high risk of early initiation of substance use and development of substance use disorders. However, there is an enormous gap between the needs and availability of the intervention programmes for prevention and treatment of substance use problems in at-risk adolescents involved in the child welfare system. In the present article, we first review the prevalence of substance use problems and risk and protective factors for substance misuse among adolescents in the child welfare system. We then discuss the available interventions for reducing substance use problems in these populations, and the promises of personalitytargeted interventions for reducing substance use problems in adolescents involved in the child welfare system, and the gap in research and practice.