A School-Based Program Identifying Personality Traits That Put Teens at Risk for Substance Use, with Dr. Patricia Conrod

ABOUT THE EPISODE:Dr. Patricia Conrod and her team at PreVenture have identified 4 personality traits that make teens at higher risk for substance use later in life, and have developed a school-based program that helps these at-risk kids learn how to turn their personality challenges into strengths. Parents will want to learn about the traits and this program which has some astounding, evidence-based results* like:an average of 50% reduction in alcohol consumption and drug usage50% reduction in odds of binge-drinkingdelayed initiation of alcohol use and binge drinkingsignificantly reduced conduct problemsdelayed initiation and reduced frequency of cannabis usebenefits for kids who did NOT participate in the programDr. Conrod also talks about important topics such as:What she learned from studying children of alcoholicsThe common thing she sees young people from all over the world struggling with todayWhy a personality-based approach is so important for teensHow traits like impulsivity put kids at risk for substance useWhy parenting interventions are often started too lateHow kids as young as 11 are able to reliably identify their personality traits and challengesThe myth of “the addictive personality”Why 85% of kids sign up for the PreVenture program when it’s offered in their schoolThe "switch" that goes off in teens around age 14Why it’s unacceptable for schools to not be offering skills-based, evidence-based prevention programsand so much more - it was a fascinating conversationThe PreVenture program has been recognized as an evidence-based program by:UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and CrimeUNESCOWorld Health Organization (WHO)NREPPUS Surgeon GeneralEPISODE RESOURCES:PreVenture (program website)Personality-targeted interventions delay the growth of adolescent drinking and binge drinking (PubMed)The impact of youth internalising and externalising symptom severity on the effectiveness of brief personality-targeted interventions for substance misuse: A cluster randomised trial (PubMed)Brief, personality-targeted coping skills interventions and survival as a non-drug user over a 2-year period during adolescence (PubMed)Universal cannabis outcomes from the Climate and Preventure (CAP) study: a cluster randomised controlled trial (PubMed)Effectiveness of a selective, personality-targeted prevention program for adolescent alcohol use and misuse: a cluster randomized controlled trial This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream CommunityLearn about The Stream, our private online community for momsFind us on Instagram hereWatch the podcast on YouTube hereDownload a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and AlcoholHopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.