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Cited by 34Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentOpioid Use Disorder Treatment

Interventions for Substance Use Disorders in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Open access
Steele, Dale W., Becker, Sara J., Danko, Kristin J., Balk, Ethan M., Saldanha, Ian J., Adam, Gaelen P., Bagley, Sarah M., Friedman, Catherine +7 more·2020
DOI 10.23970/ahrqepccer225
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Abstract

This systematic review (SR) synthesizes the literature on behavioral, pharmacologic, and combined interventions for adolescents ages 12 to 20 years with problematic substance use or substance use disorder. We included interventions designed to achieve abstinence, reduce use quantity and frequency, improve functional outcomes, and reduce substance-related harms.

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Crossref · 10.23970/ahrqepccer225

Cites

167 of 167 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • A meta-analysis of 12-20 year olds extended support for the importance of family-based interventions, brief motivational interviewing, and MET/CBT for youth alcohol use, other drug use, and related substance use problems.

    “A meta-analysis of 1220 year olds further extended support for the importance of family-based interventions, brief motivational interviewing, and MET/CBT for youth alcohol use, other drug use, and related substance use problems (43).”

    From Initial insights from a quality improvement initiative to develop an evidence-informed young adult substance use program (2022) · cites this paper as [43]

    The Adolescents section defines the review’s age range as 12–20 years, and the Key Points and Nonbrief Behavioral Interventions sections report evidence for brief motivational interviewing, family-focused treatment, and CBT combined with MI across different outcomes. But the claim is broader than the findings: the Brief Behavioral Interventions section says MI did not reduce cannabis-use days, while evidence for family-focused treatment and CBT+MI on other outcomes was limited and primarily indirect. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Family-based approaches have demonstrated some of the strongest benefits for adolescent substance use.

    “family-based approaches have demonstrated some of the strongest benefits for adolescent substance use (32, 43)”

    From Initial insights from a quality improvement initiative to develop an evidence-informed young adult substance use program (2022) · cites this paper as [43]

    The Key Findings section says family-based therapies may be the most effective at reducing adolescents’ days of alcohol use, and the Nonbrief Behavioral Interventions section reports that prior reviews found family programs particularly promising. But the review describes its comparative evidence as limited and largely indirect, and finds no evidence that any intervention reduces cannabis-use days. The claim presents a tentative, alcohol-specific finding as a demonstrated benefit for adolescent substance use generally. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The criteria for problematic methamphetamine use (PMU) are less well defined than MUD and have been defined in the literature according to thresholds of use, consequences of use, or measures taken to provide treatment.

    “The criteria for problematic methamphetamine use (PMU) is less well defined; in the literature, it has been defined according to thresholds of use (e.g., daily, monthly), consequences of use (e.g., substance use-related emergency department visit), or measures taken to provide treatment (e.g., in-treatment or treatment seeking) [20, 21].”

    From Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions for problematic methamphetamine use: Findings from a scoping review of the literature (2023) · cites this paper as [21]

    The “Problematic Use” section defines problematic substance use using treatment referral, at least monthly use, or a use-related consequence; “Applicability” contrasts these heterogeneous criteria with well-defined substance-use-disorder criteria (page numbers unavailable). These are criteria for substances generally, not specifically for problematic methamphetamine use. The copy does not give daily use as a threshold, and its emergency-department example concerns alcohol. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The meta-analysis did not find effective interventions for youth cannabis use.

    “Although they did not find effective interventions for youth cannabis use (43), evidence was limited and imprecise.”

    From Initial insights from a quality improvement initiative to develop an evidence-informed young adult substance use program (2022) · cites this paper as [43]

  • Several reviews have not found changes in frequency of cannabis use regarding motivational brief interventions.

    “although several reviews have not found changes in frequency of use regarding cannabis use (43, 44)”

    From Initial insights from a quality improvement initiative to develop an evidence-informed young adult substance use program (2022) · cites this paper as [43]

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Cites

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Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. Dias S, Sutton AJ, Ades AE, et al. Evidence synthesis for decision making 2: a generalized linear modeling framework for pairwise and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Med Decis Making. 2012 26~October;33(5):607-17. doi: 10.1177/0272989X12458724.PMID: 23104435 · DOI · Paper page
  2. Hornik K, Leisch F, Zeileis A. JAGS: A program for analysis of Bayesian graphical models using Gibbs sampling. Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on Distributed Statistical Computing ({DSC} 2003), March 20-22, Vienna, Austria.
  3. Arnaud N, Baldus C, Elgán TH, et al. Moderators of outcome in a web-based substance use intervention for adolescents. Sucht: Zeitschrift für Wissenschaft und Praxis. 2015;61(6):377-87. doi: 10.1024/0939-5911.a000397. PMID: 2016- 03749-004. · DOI
  4. Braciszewski JM, Wernette GKT, Moore RS, et al. A pilot randomized controlled trial of a technology-based substance use intervention for youth exiting foster care. Children and Youth Services Review. 2018;94:466-76. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.08.011. PMID: 132804409. · DOI
  5. Ehrlich PF, Roche JS, Cunningham RM, et al. Underage drinking, brief interventions, and trauma patients: Are they really special? J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2016 Jul;81(1):149-55. doi: 10.1097/ta.0000000000001093. PMID: 27120317. · DOI
  6. Martínez Martínez KI, Cabrera FJP, De Los Ángeles Vicío Muro M, et al. Consejo breve para adolescentes escolares que abusan del alcohol. = School-based brief counseling for teenage drinkers. Revista Mexicana de Análisis de la Conducta. 2008;34(2):247-64. PMID: 2009- 05582-007.
  7. Mason MJ, Zaharakis NM, Sabo R. Reducing social stress in urban adolescents with peer network counseling. Journal of Child and Family Studies. 2016;25(12):3488-96. doi: 10.1007/s10826-016-0515-5. PMID: 2016- 40310-001. · DOI

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Authors
Steele, D. W., Becker, S. J., Danko, K. J., Balk, E. M., Saldanha, I. J., Adam, G. P., Bagley, S. M., Friedman, C., Spirito, A., Scott, K., Ntzani, E. E., Saeed, I., Smith, B., Popp, J., & Trikalinos, T. A.
Affiliations
Boston University (US)
ORCID
Publisher
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Published
2020-05-21
DOI
10.23970/ahrqepccer225
OpenAlex
W3026799405
Cited by
34
References
167
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1
FWCI
0.62
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (290-2015-00002-I)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
Keywords
adolescent substance use disorders, substance use interventions, behavioral interventions, pharmacological interventions, combined intervention, abstinence, substance use reduction, functional outcome

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