New research says mental health program in high schools reduces drug disorders

CITYnews halifax / By Jean-Benoit Legault, The Canadian Press

MONTREAL — New research suggests that students who participate in two mental health workshops in their first year of high school develop fewer substance abuse disorders by the time they graduate, compared to students who didn’t attend the sessions.

Released Wednesday in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the study led by researchers at Dalhousie University and Université de Montréal indicates that substance abuse dropped by as much as 80 per cent in some schools that used the program compared to schools that didn’t.

The study used the program PreVenture, developed by Sherry Stewart, a psychologist and professor at Dalhousie, and Patricia Conrod, a psychologist and professor at Université de Montréal.

Nearly 4,000 students at 31 schools in the greater Montreal area took part in the trial. Schools offered the PreVenture program to Grade 7 students considered at risk of developing substance use disorders, after they were evaluated for four personality traits: impulsivity, sensation seeking, sensitivity to anxiety and negative thinking. The students were given two 90-minute workshops and were monitored through to Grade 11.

Researchers at the two universities say that over the trial period there was an increase in substance abuse disorders at all participating schools, but that rise was less pronounced at schools that offered the PreVenture program.

“The benefits are enormous,” Conrod said. “Right now in Canada, in the age of fentanyl, it’s extremely important to do everything we can to reduce the number of young people experimenting and abusing, even with alcohol, because the more intoxicated a young person is, the more likely they are to experiment with something else.”

The PreVenture program, which has already been implemented in five provinces and 12 American states, also teaches cognitive behavioural strategies to channel personality traits toward attaining long-term goals.

Conrod said the program avoids labelling students. “Instead, we ask them if they’re interested in participating in a workshop where they’ll explore their long-term goals and how to better manage their behaviours and thoughts to achieve their goals,” she said, explaining that the vast majority of students agree to participate.

Some personality traits can create stress and anxiety for youth who may have difficulties managing those feelings and who may turn to substances for relief, said Conrod. By learning effective strategies, teenagers can better manage “everyday challenges” and not require services later in life to overcome substance abuse problems, she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2025.

Jean-Benoit Legault, The Canadian Press