{"id":1835,"date":"2016-03-10T18:20:28","date_gmt":"2016-03-10T18:20:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pgdf.org\/?p=1835"},"modified":"2016-06-13T21:37:25","modified_gmt":"2016-06-13T21:37:25","slug":"new-nida-guidelines-highlight-impact-of-first-eight-years-of-life-in-preventing-substance-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pgdf.org\/new-nida-guidelines-highlight-impact-of-first-eight-years-of-life-in-preventing-substance-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"New NIDA guidelines highlight first eight years of life in preventing substance abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Substance use usually begins in adolescence, but may be rooted in developmental changes that occur as early as the prenatal period.\u00a0 Psychological, biological, social, and environmental factors, which start influencing a child even before birth, can converge with genetic makeup to put a child at risk for later substance use and mental health issues.<\/p>\n

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has released an online guide highlighting early childhood interventions that can help prevent substance use and other unhealthy behaviors. Based on research examining factors that can build resiliency or increase risk, the evidence-based guide emphasizes the impact of the first eight years of a child\u2019s life on later behavior.<\/p>\n

When it comes to the question of who will develop substance use issues, genetics are only part of the picture. Family and home environments strongly influence a child\u2019s early development and socialization, affecting levels of risk or resiliency. Rapid growth and change in the brains of children and adolescents make them particularly sensitive to environmental influence. For this reason, the earlier a positive intervention occurs, the greater the opportunity to impact development in a healthy and positive way.<\/p>\n

Decades of prevention research has shown that factors such as a lack of school readiness skills, insecure attachment, and signs of uncontrolled aggression (as early as age two) can negatively affect behavior in later life, including drug use. A stable home environment, warm and supportive parenting, adequate nutrition, cognitive and physical stimulation, and good classroom management in early childhood (prenatal through age 8) promote the development of emotional and behavioral control and contribute to positive developmental outcomes. They also serve as protective factors against drug use and other behavioral problems.<\/p>\n

Principles of Substance Abuse Prevention for Early Childhood<\/a>, created for parents, practitioners, and policymakers, is a guide detailing specific interventions designed for early childhood that help mitigate risk factors by building on existing strengths of both child and parent (and other caregivers). \u00a0It introduces skills (such as general parenting skills and specific skills to manage a child\u2019s aggressive behavior) and problem-solving strategies for areas in need of improvement (such as improving self-concept, managing oneself responsibly, and getting along with others).<\/p>\n

The guide begins with a list of seven principles<\/a> specifically addressing how early interventions can positively affect development. \u00a0It follows with \u201cWhy is Early Childhood Important to Substance Abuse Prevention?<\/a>\u201d and continues with the following sections:<\/p>\n