The need for successful mental, emotional and behavioral (MEB) health services for children cannot be overemphasized. According to the recent studies carried out in the United States, one of the major health dilemmas that families and children are grappling with is substance abuse.
It is important to note that the prevalence of substance abuse in the US is on a steady rise. However, only a privileged few can afford effective mental health services to address the problem (Agarwal et al., n.d., p.1).
The Role of Prevention Science
In light of the proposals of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, there is an urgent need to create and sustain practices and services that lend credence to early identification, prevention and interventions for health promotion. It is against this backdrop that prevention science fits the bill.
Clinicians not only strive to reduce the occurrence and relapse of substance abuse but also encourage positive change and adaption for the population at risk.
Some of the salient aspects of an effective prevention program include: designing an all-inclusive conceptual model to spot etiology of substance abuse, malleable risk and protective factors that contribute to this behavioral problem; devising trials to control assumed risk and protective factors to ascertain their causal role; choosing causal factors and carrying out efficiency trials; and ensuring continuity of successful programs (Agarwal et al., n.d., p.1).
Cause and Impact of Substance Abuse
According to Hosman et al., over 400 million people worldwide are victims of some form of mental and behavioral disorders, including substance abuse (2005, p.13). Some of the causes of substance abuse include peer pressure, lack of parental guidance, school violence and inadequate educational achievement (Agarwal et al., n.d., p.1).
Substance abuse not only increases the risk of physical illness but also represents a massive socio-economical and psychological burden to the families as well as the society at large. In light of the abovementioned risks and consequences, prevention science is the only effective and sustainable way for alleviating the burden brought about by substance abuse (Hosman et al., 2005, p.13).
Prevention Strategies/Programs to Combat Substance Abuse
There is an urgent need for the adoption of effective prevention strategies to combat substance abuse among children. This calls for a closer collaboration between families, school management and community leaders since the impact of substance abuse is not only felt by the affected family but also friends and the society in general.
There have been extensive studies carried out in the last two decades to ascertain prevention strategies that can effectively minimize substance abuse. These strategies have common benchmarks: enhancing protective factors, for example, strong family unions, acute social skills and attachment to school (Reno et al., 2000, p.1).
Caring School Community Program (CSCP) is an example of research-based intervention program. It is a universal program that entails closer collaboration between family and school to alleviate risk of substance abuse and promote protective factors among school-going children. This program gives priority on bolstering students’ connection or sense of community to school.
Studies have found that this sense of community has turned out to be a critical aspect in alleviating substance abuse among children at the same time promoting academic achievement. This program comprises of a set of mutually supporting school, classroom, as well as family participation strategies. Consequently, this program encourages positive student-teacher, peer, and home-school affiliations.
It also fosters the development of emotional, social and behavior-related skills among children. What’s more, it provides comprehensive guidelines and implementation instruments as well as staff development (Bierman et al., 2003, p.26).
Previous studies have emphasized on the importance of applying research-based intervention strategies to reduce substance abuse among children. Future studies need to provide a clear direction with respect to the adoption of effective interventions. They must also design novel prevention and promotion strategies that make constructive link between research and policy.
References
Agarwal et al. (n.d.). The Role of Prevention Science in Promoting Children’s Mental Health: A Model for School Psychologists. Columbia: University of Missouri.
Bierman et al. (Eds.). (2003). Preventing Drug Abuse among Children and Adolescent: A Research-Based Guide for Parents, Educators, and Community Leaders. Maryland: National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Hosman et al. (Eds.). (2005). Prevention of Mental Disorders: Effective Interventions and Policy Options. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Reno et al. (2000). Promising Strategies to Reduce Substance Abuse. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.