Substance Use Prevention and Students with Behavioral Disorders: Guidelines for School Professionals

The use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs is a serious problem in the United States today. Some groups of individuals are more vulnerable to illegal substances than others; one such group is students with behavioral disorders. The purpose of this article is to describe what we know about preventing substance use among students with behavioral disorders. The extent of the problem of substance use is examined first. Second, the reasons why some students are at risk for substance use are explored. The effectiveness of different types of substance use prevention programs is reviewed, and several school-based curricula that have potential for use with students with behavioral disorders are highlighted. Finally, recommendations for research and practice in the area of substance use prevention for students with behavioral disorders are offered.