Family systems theory and adolescent substance abuse: A proposal for expanding the role of the school

Abstract

Over the years, the role of the American school has changed dramatically. Where once, the school was responsible only for providing academic education and education‐related counseling services, it now finds itself involved in the students' emotional and psychological development as well. With so many of today's families badly fractured by divorce, single‐parenthood, alienation, etc., students are seeking help with personal and familial problems previously dealt with in the home. Foremost among these problems is the alarming increase in adolescent substance abuse.

Although alcohol and drug education courses are commonplace, this paper proposes a two‐fold program for the expansion of the school's role in the identification and rehabilitation of the substance‐abusing student, and challenges the school to adopt new methods of response, based on the family systems theory.