Abstract
Self-help, also called mutual help, is an intervention for everyone who misuses substances. In this chapter, adolescent self-help/mutual help is defined as a safe no cost group process, including 12 steps, spiritual or other grounding, in which peer youth involved in substance misuse along with sponsors and/or mentors mutually support recovering youth to deal with cravings, life stressors, and to promote change. After presenting selected data on substance use, the US treatment utilization data are presented to highlight the limited adolescent self-help information, which is supported by the literature reviewed. Based on the literature review it is suggested that self-help/mutual help can be a promising approach for adolescents. Further research and controlled trials are recommended to add to understanding adolescent and youth self-help.
“Youth is wasted on the young”
George Bernard Shaw (as cited in Cook, 1931 , p. 8).
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This work was supported in part by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse DA036158 (Leukefeld).
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Biermann, S.L., Leukefeld, C.G. (2018). Adolescent Self-Help in Substance Abuse Interventions. In: Leukefeld, C., Gullotta, T. (eds) Adolescent Substance Abuse. Issues in Children's and Families' Lives. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90611-9_10
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