Family-based prevention in youth’s substance misuse in low- and middle-income countries: A review from Turkey and cultural adaptation of family based interventions

Abstract

Family-based interventions have been recognized and practised more in high-income countries than in low- and middle-income countries. However, the threats posed by substance misuse to the youth do not change for the latter. The development of appropriate preventive programs is an area of interest for addiction prevention in low- and middle-income countries by recognizing the risk factors for substance misuse among young individuals. This study aims to present the risk factors primarily in family-based conditions for substance use among young people in low- and middle-income countries and to provide information on family-based interventions that can be developed in line with these factors. It is aimed to discuss how family-based studies can be adapted to samples such as Turkey in the light of three programs originating in the USA. Fifty-six publications gathered from the literature between 1989–2021 by using keywords were included in the study. Adolescence and young adulthood are the riskiest developmental periods for substance misuse worldwide. Economic, cultural and family-based factors involving the youth are of considerable importance. Families’ consciousness of youth’s substance use is worthful to prevent youth’s addictions in the future. Studies show that family-based preventions are promising interventions in this regard.

Keywords:

• Family-based preventive interventions
• substance misuse
• adolescence
• Turkey
• cultural adaptation

Acknowledgments

The Turkish Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (TUBİM) contributed to the study by answering the researchers’ questions on unclarified information presented in Turkish Drug Report 2019, Turkish Drug Report 2020, and Narcologist Project Analysis Report 2020.

Disclosure statement

No financial interest or benefit has arisen from the direct applications of this research.

Additional information

Funding

This study received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.