Inadequate Models of Adolescent Substance Use Prevention: Looking for Options to Promote Pro-Social Change and Engagement.

In the adolescent substance use prevention two competing models can be found: negative and positive. The negative model is entirely focused on risks and problems that young people should avoid. The positive model goes beyond that problem-oriented perspective and calls for positive youth growth and development. Both models of prevention seems to be inadequate to address effectively the challenging problem of adolescent substance use associated consequences. Both models are in fact flawed, but in different ways. Old, negative model neglects the power of individual strengths and ecological developmental assets, while new, positive model is often instrumentally used by politicians and other stakeholders for completely different goals than an informed, science-based prevention. As a result many substance use prevention programs implemented at schools and in communities are neither theoretically nor empirically informed. In order to address these flaws, the model of balanced prevention was outlined. It posits that triple well informed efforts are needed to achieve both specific substance use prevention goals and youth personal/social development. These efforts include protection building, risks reducing and individual assets development support. The proposed model is an ongoing work in progress. It can be considered as an encouragement for international dialogue to build a balanced conceptual foundation for adolescent substance use prevention.