Co-design of digital public health substance use resources: A collaboration between young people and experts.

Issue Addressed: Substance use and mental illness remain critical issues for young Australians, however, engagement with evidence-based health resources is challenging among this age group. This study aimed to develop engaging, useful digital health resources, underpinned by neuroscience principles, to build awareness of the harms of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and concurrent alcohol and antidepressant use.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was adopted to co-design two evidence-based videos resources.

The long-term effectiveness of a personality-targeted substance use prevention program on aggression from adolescence to early adulthood.

Background: Addressing aggressive behavior in adolescence is a key step toward preventing violence and associated social and economic costs in adulthood. This study examined the secondary effects of the personality-targeted substance use preventive program on aggressive behavior from ages 13 to 20.

Methods: In total, 339 young people from nine independent schools ( age = 13.

Effectiveness of a universal, school-based, online programme for the prevention of anxiety, depression, and substance misuse among adolescents in Australia: 72-month outcomes from a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

Background: The CSC study found that the universal delivery of a school-based, online programme for the prevention of mental health and substance use disorders among adolescents resulted in improvements in mental health and substance use outcomes at 30-month follow-up. We aimed to compare the long-term effects of four interventions-Climate Schools Combined (CSC) mental health and substance use, Climate Schools Substance Use (CSSU) alone, Climate Schools Mental Health (CSMH) alone, and standard health education-on mental health and substance use outcomes among adolescents at 72-month follow-up into early adulthood.

Methods: This long-term study followed up adolescents from a multicentre, cluster-randomised trial conducted across three states in Australia (New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia) enrolled between Sept 1, 2013, and Feb 28, 2014, for up to 72 months after baseline assessment.

Effect of a selective personality-targeted prevention program on 7-year illicit substance related outcomes: A secondary analysis of a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: This study evaluated the efficacy of the selective personality-targeted PreVenture program in reducing cannabis and stimulant use over a 7-year period spanning adolescence and early adulthood.

Methods: A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 14 Australian schools. Schools were randomized to PreVenture, a brief personality-targeted selective intervention, comprising two 90-minute facilitator-led sessions delivered one week apart, or a control group (health education as usual).

An on-line school-based substance use harm reduction programme: The Illicit Project randomized controlled trial results.

Aims: The aim of this study was to measure the effectiveness of an on-line, neuroscience-based harm reduction intervention (The Illicit Project) on substance use, harms and knowledge over a 12-month period.

Design: We used a two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Setting: The study was conducted at eight secondary schools across New South Wales, Australia.

Evaluating a Peer-Support Mobile App for Mental Health and Substance Use Among Adolescents Over 12 Months During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Although it is well known that adolescents frequently turn to their friends for support around mental health and substance use problems, there are currently no evidence-based digital programs to support them to do this.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Mind your Mate program, a digital peer-support program, in improving mental health symptoms, reducing the uptake of substance use, and increasing help seeking. The Mind your Mate program consists of a 40-minute web-based classroom lesson and a companion smartphone mobile app.

Study protocol of the Our Futures Vaping Trial: a cluster randomised controlled trial of a school-based eHealth intervention to prevent e-cigarette use among adolescents.

Background: Effective and scalable prevention approaches are urgently needed to address the rapidly increasing rates of e-cigarette use among adolescents. School-based eHealth interventions can be an efficient, effective, and economical approach, yet there are none targeting e-cigarettes within Australia. This paper describes the protocol of the OurFutures Vaping Trial which aims to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the first school-based eHealth intervention targeting e-cigarettes in Australia.

Effect of Selective Personality-Targeted Alcohol Use Prevention on 7-Year Alcohol-Related Outcomes Among High-risk Adolescents: A Secondary Analysis of a Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Alcohol consumption is one of the leading preventable causes of burden of disease worldwide. Selective prevention of alcohol use can be effective in delaying the uptake and reducing harmful use of alcohol during the school years; however, little is known about the durability of these effects across the significant transition from early adolescence into late adolescence and early adulthood.

Objective: To examine the sustained effects of a selective personality-targeted alcohol use prevention program on alcohol outcomes among adolescents who report high levels of 1 of 4 personality traits associated with substance use.

Updated systematic review of Australian school-based prevention programmes for alcohol and other drugs: a review protocol.

Introduction: Adolescent onset substance use is associated with neurodevelopmental, social and psychological harms. Thus, alcohol and other drug prevention programmes are essential to promote health and well-being during this period. Schools are uniquely positioned to deliver such prevention programmes.

Lifestyle risk behaviours among adolescents: a two-year longitudinal study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: To examine changes in the prevalence of six key chronic disease risk factors (the "Big 6"), from before (2019) to during (2021) the COVID-19 pandemic, among a large and geographically diverse sample of adolescents, and whether differences over time are associated with lockdown status and gender.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Three Australian states (New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia) spanning over 3000 km.

Development of a Peer Support Mobile App and Web-Based Lesson for Adolescent Mental Health (Mind Your Mate): User-Centered Design Approach.

Background: Digital technologies and mobile interventions are possible tools for prevention initiatives to target the substantial social and economic impacts that anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders have on young people.

Objective: This paper described the design and development of the Mind your Mate program, a smartphone app and introductory classroom lesson enhancing peer support around the topics of anxiety, depression, and substance use for adolescents.

Methods: The development of Mind your Mate was an iterative process conducted in collaboration with adolescents (n=23), experts, school staff, and software developers.

Effectiveness of a neuroscience-based, harm reduction program for older adolescents: A cluster randomised controlled trial of .

The prevention of risky adolescent substance use is critical. Limited age-appropriate, school-based programs target adolescents aged 16-19 years, despite this representing the age of initiation and escalation of substance use. is a neuroscience-based, harm reduction program targeting late adolescents, designed to address this gap.

The 7-Year Effectiveness of School-Based Alcohol Use Prevention From Adolescence to Early Adulthood: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Universal, Selective, and Combined Interventions.

Objective: Alcohol use is a leading cause of burden of disease among young people. Prevention strategies can be effective in the short-term; however little is known about their longer-term effectiveness. The aim of this study was to examine the sustainability of universal, selective, and combined alcohol use prevention across the critical transition period from adolescence into early adulthood.

Alcohol and Cannabis Use and the Developing Brain.

Purpose: Alcohol and cannabis are the most commonly used substances during adolescence and are typically initiated during this sensitive neurodevelopmental period. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the most recent literature focused on understanding how these substances affect the developing brain.

Search Methods: Articles included in this review were identified by entering 30 search terms focused on substance use, adolescence, and neurodevelopment into MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, ProQuest Central, and Web of Science.

Personality-targeted prevention for adolescent tobacco use: Three-year outcomes for a randomised trial in Australia.

This is the first study to investigate the effectiveness of Preventure, a selective personality-targeted prevention program, in reducing the uptake of tobacco smoking over a three-year period in adolescence. A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted to assess the effectiveness of Preventure. Schools were block randomised to either the Preventure group (n = 7 schools) or the Control group (n = 7 schools) and students were assessed at five time points (baseline, 6-, 12-, 24- and 36-months post-baseline) on measures of tobacco use, intentions to use and self-efficacy to resist peer pressure to smoke tobacco.

Neuroscience literacy and substance use prevention: How well do young people understand their brain?

Issue: Reducing substance use harm in young people is a major public health priority, however, health promotion messages often struggle to achieve meaningful engagement. Neuroscience-based teachings may provide an innovative new way to engage young people in credible harm minimisation health promotion. This study aims to evaluate the acceptability and credibility of a series of neuroscience-based drug education animations and investigate neuroscience literacy in young people.

Study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of The Illicit Project, a digital, neuroscience-based substance use intervention for secondary school students.

Older adolescence (16-19 years) is characterised by an increase in alcohol and illicit substance use, however limited age-appropriate prevention programs exist to target this critical group. Schools are increasingly opting for web-based programs to deliver health education due to their effectiveness, accessibility and scalability. This study outlines the web-based adaptation of a neuroscience-based harm reduction program targeting older adolescents known as, The Illicit Project, and the study protocol to evaluate its effectiveness.

Neuropsychological and neurophysiological predictors and consequences of cannabis and illicit substance use during neurodevelopment: a systematic review of longitudinal studies.

Adolescence and early adulthood are crucial periods of neurodevelopment characterised by functional, structural, and cognitive maturation, which helps prepare young people for adulthood. This systematic review of longitudinal studies aims to delineate neural predictors from neural consequences of cannabis and illicit substance use, as well as investigate the potential for the developing brain (at ages 10-25 years) to recover after damage. Five databases were searched to yield a total of 38 eligible studies, with some assessing multiple outcome techniques, including 22 neuroimaging, two neurophysiological, and 22 neuropsychological findings.

Promising vulnerability markers of substance use and misuse: A review of human neurobehavioral studies.

Substance use often begins, and noticeably escalates, during adolescence. Identifying predictive neurobehavioral vulnerability markers of substance use and related problems may improve targeted prevention and early intervention initiatives. This review synthesizes 44 longitudinal studies and explores the utility of developmental imbalance models and neurobehavioral addiction frameworks in predicting neural and cognitive patterns that are associated with prospective substance use initiation and escalation among young people.

Stigma, discrimination and crystal methamphetamine ('ice'): Current attitudes in Australia.

Background: Crystal methamphetamine attracts an elevated level of negative attention in Australia and internationally, however there is a paucity of research into stigma and discrimination surrounding this drug. This study aimed to investigate and compare levels of public stigma, self-stigma and discrimination surrounding crystal methamphetamine use in a large sample of Australian residents.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey, open to all Australian residents aged 18 years and over, was conducted from November 2018 to March 2019 examining stigmatising attitudes towards people who use crystal methamphetamine.

Cannabis and Illicit Drug Use During Neurodevelopment and the Associated Structural, Functional and Cognitive Outcomes: Protocol for a Systematic Review.

Background: High rates of cannabis and illicit drug use are experienced by young people during the final stages of neurodevelopment (aged 15-24 years), a period characterized by high neuroplasticity. Frequent drug use during this time may interfere with neurophysiological and neuropsychological development pathways, potentially leading to ongoing unfavorable neuroadaptations. The dose-response relationship between illicit drug use, exposure, and individual neurodevelopmental variation is unknown but salient with global shifts in the legal landscape and increasingly liberal attitudes and perceptions of the harm caused by cannabis and illicit drugs.

A pilot study of a neuroscience-based, harm minimisation programme in schools and youth centres in Australia.

Objectives: The primary aim is to evaluate the feasibility of a newly developed, neuroscience-based, alcohol and other drug (AOD) use prevention programme, '', in Australian older adolescents. The secondary aim is to investigate the impact of the programme on students' drug literacy levels (a combination of knowledge, attitudes and skills).

Design: A pilot study examining the feasibility of in Australian schools was conducted.

Alcohol and other drug prevention for older adolescents: It's a no brainer.

Older adolescence represents a critical period of brain development whereby the prefrontal cortex, responsible for higher level thinking and emotional regulation, is under construction. During this period, the brain is wired to underestimate risk and overestimate pleasure, which primes young people towards risky, pleasure-oriented experiences. Substance use during this time can hinder brain maturation and lead to development related disorders.