Mechanisms of Risk and Resilience in Adolescent Drug Treatment and Recovery - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Adolescent substance use disorders (SUDs) present a significant public health concern.
Adolescents have high rates of relapse following SUD treatment, higher even than adults.
Although much is known about risk and resilience pathways for the development of adolescent
SUDs, much less is known about predictors and mechanisms of successful versus unsuccessful
SUD treatment in adolescents. One mechanism that has shown promise in predicting poor
treatment outcomes for adults is high distress intolerance (DI): the inability or perceived inability
to withstand distressing emotions. The proposed research focuses on baseline levels of DI, as
well as change in DI during and following an existing residential and intensive outpatient
treatment program for adolescents. Approximately 134 adolescents will complete a
comprehensive assessment of DI, including self-reports, physiological measurements, and DI
tasks at baseline, 3 times during treatment, and 3 times during the 6-month follow-up period.
Adolescents and parents will also complete assessments of known risk factors for the
development and maintenance of SUDs, including adolescent and family substance use history,
peer substance use, parental monitoring, social support, trauma symptoms, and
internalizing/externalizing problems. During treatment and follow-up, adolescents will report their
level of substance craving and substance use relapses. Based on participants' baseline DI and
DI change over time, in combination with other measured risk factors, results of the proposed
research will be used to predict levels of craving and future relapse. Specifically, results will
provide within- and between-subjects profiles of adolescents at risk for a DI-based relapse.
Further, because of the multiple assessments within subjects, the results of the proposed
research can inform future interventions by demonstrating when a DI-based intervention might
be the most needed or beneficial. Finally, in accordance with the key objectives of the AREA
R15 program, students will gain invaluable experience in rigorous and intensive research in the
areas of addictions, change mechanisms, and recovery. Students will participate in the
implementation of research protocols, data analysis, manuscript preparation, and research
presentations at conferences, strengthening the students' future career prospects, as well as
enhancing the university's research environment.
