Are Personality-Targeted Prevention Initiatives Successful?
Research has found that one’s personality is a useful predictor of drug and alcohol abuse. One notable programme that approaches substance prevention by focusing on personal characteristics is PreVenture. PreVenture has already been shown to be effective in reducing alcohol consumption in both the Canadian and UK contexts.
A new study carried out by researchers at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) has explored the long-term success of PreVenture in combating the harmful use of alcohol amongst Australian adolescents. It found the programme to be a worthwhile prevention initiative for reducing dangerous drinking behaviours, particularly amongst those teenagers identified as having ‘high-risk’ personalities. The study is the first of its kind to assess the effectiveness, and in turn demonstrate the feasibility, of PreVenture in the Australian context.
