Search

This review aims to elucidate environmental and genetic factors, as well as their epigenetic and neuroendocrine moderators, that may underlie the association between early childhood experiences and Substance Use Disorders (SUD), through the lens of parental attachment. Here we review those attachment-related studies that examined the monoaminergic systems, the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal stress response system, the oxytoninergic system, and the endogenous opioid system from a genetic, epigenetic, and neuroendocrine perspective. Overall, the selected studies point to a moderating effect of insecure attachment between genetic vulnerability and SUD, reasonably through epigenetic modifications. Preliminary evidence suggests that vulnerability to SUDs is related with hypo-methylation (e.g. hyper-expression) of high-risk polymorphisms on the monoaminergic and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal system and hyper-methylation (e.g. hypo-expressions) of protective polymorphisms on the opioid and oxytocin system. These epigenetic modifications may induce a cascade of neuroendocrine changes contributing to the subclinical and behavioural manifestations that precede the clinical onset of SUD. Protective and supportive parenting could hence represent a key therapeutic target to prevent addiction and moderate insecure attachment., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime-World Health Organization International Standards on Drug Use Prevention-reflects the value of safe, nurturing and supportive social institutions around the lives of youths to benefit from the prevention of risky behavior extending beyond individually-developed resilience for healthy adolescent development. Schools are valuable social institutions to this effect and school safety and adolescent health outcomes can be threatened by drug use and violence. As such, collaborative, multi-level, evidence-based, developmentally sensitive, substance use prevention programs are imperative. The International Standards, in their latest version, did not reflect specific evidence of law enforcement officer-based programs with effect on drug use prevention, including in school settings. Nevertheless, the collaboration between law enforcement agencies and school-based substance use prevention programs continue to be the focus of research and policy. In this project, we aim to explore in more detail the role of law enforcement in preventing substance use in schools. We use mixed methods, including three phases: (i) scoping review on the best practices for effective law enforcement in school-based drug and crime prevention; (ii) interviews with experts, using the Delphi method, in substance use prevention and training law enforcement in school-based drug prevention; and iii) developing guidelines for law enforcement based on the findings. Initially, we identified a total of 17 papers that were categorized in four categories based on their results (negative or null effect n = 11 studies, positive effect n = 1 study, mixed effects n = 4 studies and indefinite conclusion n = 1 study). However, the authors of the studies with negative or null effect did recommend being cautious about these results due to the respective studies' methodological limitations. The actual and perceived roles of police are largely unclear and/or variable. Therefore, clear outlines regarding law enforcement's role within schools are crucial as one study showed that an officer's role influences how they respond to student conduct. A secondary emergent theme from this review indicates that there is potential for positively impacting a youth's perceptions of police through collaborative and engaging school-based programs. Currently the project is gradually moving to Phase II, where we are identifying the key experts based on scientifically published peer reviewed and grey literature/guidelines to investigate elements that make the role of law enforcement officers in school-based prevention more effective. Given the frequency with which policy makers around the world request information about the role of law enforcement in effective prevention efforts, guidelines on their roles within schools is a gap that needs to be filled. Such efforts would improve drug prevention in schools and better orient law enforcement's role in drug prevention within educational settings.

Psychoactive substance use among children in Afghanistan is an issue of concern. Somewhere around 300,000 children in the country have been exposed to opioids that either parents directly provided to them or by passive exposure. Evidence-based and culturally appropriate drug prevention and treatment programs are needed for children and families. The goals of this study were to: (1) examine lifetime psychoactive substance use in girls and boys at treatment entry; and (2) examine differential changes in substance use during and following treatment between girls and boys. Children ages 10-17 years old entering residential treatment were administered the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test for Youth (ASSIST-Y) at pre- and post-treatment, and at three-month follow-up. Residential treatment was 45 days for children and 180 days for adolescents and consisted of a comprehensive psychosocial intervention that included education, life skills, individual and group counseling and, for older adolescents, vocational skills such as embroidery and tailoring. Girls and boys were significantly different regarding lifetime use of five substances at treatment entry, with girls less likely than boys to have used tobacco, cannabis, stimulants, and alcohol, and girls more likely than boys to have used sedatives. Differences between boys and girls were found for past-three-month use of four substances at treatment entry, with girls entering treatment with higher past-three-month use of opioids and sedatives, and boys with higher past-three-month use of tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol. Change over the course of treatment showed a general decline for both girls and boys in the use of these substances. Girls and boys in Afghanistan come to treatment with different substance use histories and differences in past-three-month use. Treatment of children for substance use problems must be sensitive to possible differences between girls and boys in substance use history., Competing Interests: Competing interests. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Very little evidence has been reported in literature regarding the misuse of substances in rural areas. Despite the common perception of rural communities as a protective and risk-mitigating environment, the scientific literature demonstrated the existence of many risk factors in rural communities. The Drug Prevention and Health Branch (DHB) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the World Health Organization (WHO), in June 2016, organized a meeting of experts in treatment and prevention of SUDs in rural settings. The content presented during the meeting and the related discussion have provided materials for the preparation of an outline document, which is the basis to create a technical tool on SUDs prevention and treatment in rural settings. The UNODC framework for interventions in rural settings is a technical tool aimed to assist policy makers and managers at the national level. This paper is a report on UNODC/WHO efforts to improve the clinical conditions of people affected by SUDs and living in rural areas. The purpose of this article is to draw attention on a severe clinical and social problem in a reality forgotten by everyone.

The present study examined the impact of a novel intervention for children at risk for substance use or actively using substances that was provided to 783 children between 4 and 18 years of age in Afghanistan. They received the Child Intervention for Living Drug-free (CHILD) protocol while in outpatient or residential treatment. CHILD included age-appropriate literacy and numeracy, drug education, basic living safety, and communication and trauma coping skills. A battery of measures examined multiple child health domains at treatment's start and end and 12 weeks later. For younger children, there were no significant Gender or Gender X Time effects (all p 's > .16 and .35, resp.). The time main effect was significant for all outcomes (all p 's < .00192, the prespecified per-comparison error rate). Post hoc testing showed significant improvements from residential treatment entry to completion for all scales. For older children, a time main effect was significant for (all p 's < .00192, the prespecified per-comparison error rate) all but one outcome. Community follow-up means were significantly lower than residential treatment entry means. CHILD had a positive impact on children, and treatment impact endured from posttreatment to follow-up assessment.