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Cited by 32Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesMentoring and Academic DevelopmentYouth, Drugs, and Violence

Mentoring adolescents to prevent drug and alcohol use

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Thomas, Roger E, Lorenzetti, Diane, Spragins, Wendy·2011·Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
DOI 10.1002/14651858.cd007381.pub2PMC PMC13418078
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Many adolescents receive mentoring. There is no systematic review if mentoring prevents alcohol and drug use. OBJECTIVES: Assess effectiveness of mentoring to prevent adolescent alcohol/drug use. SEARCH METHODS: Cochrane CENTRAL (issue 4), MEDLINE (1950-to July 2011), EMBASE (1980-to July 2011), 5 other electronic and 11 Grey literature electronic databases, 10 websites, reference lists, experts in addictions and mentoring. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of mentoring in adolescents to prevent alcohol/drug use. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We identified 2,113 abstracts, independently assessed 233 full-text articles, 4 RCTs met inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed risks of bias. We contacted investigators for missing information. MAIN RESULTS: We identified 4 RCTs (1,194 adolescents). No RCT reported enough detail to assess whether a strong randomisation method was used or allocation was concealed. Blinding was not possible as the intervention was mentoring. Three RCTs provided complete data. No selective reporting.Three RCTs provided evidence about mentoring and preventing alcohol use. We pooled two RCTs (RR for mentoring compared to no intervention = 0.71 (95% CI = 0.57 to 0.90, P value = 0.005). A third RCT found no significant differences.Three RCTs provided evidence about mentoring and preventing drug use, but could not be pooled. One found significantly less use of "illegal" drugs," one did not, and one assessed only marijuana use and found no significant differences.One RCT measured "substance use" without separating alcohol and drugs, and found no difference for mentoring. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: All four RCTs were in the US, and included "deprived" and mostly minority adolescents. Participants were young (in two studies age 12, and in two others 9-16). All students at baseline were non-users of alcohol and drugs. Two RCTs found mentoring reduced the rate of initiation of alcohol, and one of drug usage. The ability of the interventions to be effective was limited by the low rates of commencing alcohol and drug use during the intervention period in two studies (the use of marijuana in one study increased to 1% in the experimental and to 1.6% in the control group, and in another study drug usage rose to 6% in the experimental and 11% in the control group). However, in a third study there was scope for the intervention to have an effect as alcohol use rose to 19% in the experimental and 27% in the control group. The studies assessed structured programmes and not informal mentors.

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Cited by

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Authors
Thomas, R. E., Lorenzetti, D., & Spragins, W.
Affiliations
University of Calgary (CA)
ORCID
Venue
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2011-11-09
Volume
2011
Issue
11
Pages
CD007381-CD007381
ISSN
  • 1361-6137 (ISSN-L)
  • 1465-1858
DOI
10.1002/14651858.cd007381.pub2
PMC
PMC13418078
OpenAlex
W1511309967
Cited by
32
References
9
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
FWCI
0.38
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mentoring and Academic Development
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Youth, Drugs, and Violence
Keywords
mentoring, adolescent alcohol use, adolescent drug use, substance use prevention, alcohol initiation, cannabis use, minority youth, intervention effectiveness, risk of bias in trials, risk of bias assessment, risk of bias summary table
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Alcohol Drinking, Female, Humans, Male, Mentors, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Substance-Related Disorders

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