National Health Research Institutes

April 7, 2025

A study conducted by Dr. Chuan-Yu Chen and her research team at the Center for Neuropsychiatric Research from the National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan, provides new insights into the relationship between high-risk family interventions, school-based interventions, and adolescent illicit drug use patterns. The research team examined long-term outcomes of adolescents with a history of illicit drug use, focusing on the impact of high-risk family services, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder treatment, and school dropout counseling. The findings have been published in the International Journal of Drug Policy.

Adolescence is a peak period for experimenting with and initiating illicit drug use, which may have adverse effects on physical, psychological, and social development. The causes of adolescent drug use are not linked solely to individual characteristics (such as gender or psychiatric comorbidities) but are also significantly influenced by family and school environments. For instance, having a family member with a history of illicit drug use or experiencing unstable schooling can increase the risk of initial drug exposure.

The study aimed to explore these broader contextual influences by analyzing data from the Student Drug Abuse Case Management System (2013–2016) of Taiwan’s Ministry of Education. The research team established a cohort of 1,605 middle school students with a history of illicit drug use and a control group of 809,477 students from the general population. By linking social welfare, health insurance, and school dropout records, the study tracked these students over four years to assess the influence of different interventions (e.g., high-risk family services, ADHD treatment, and school dropout counseling) on the likelihood of continued drug use.

Nearly 80% of illicit-drug-experienced middle school students had used ketamine, which has been identified as a major gateway drug in Taiwan, the study found. A four-year follow-up revealed that more than one-third of these students were re-reported for drug use, based on reporting sources from police, education, law enforcement, and health authorities. Students who had received high-risk family services showed a reduced risk of being re-reported for illicit drug use, while those who had received school dropout counseling were associated with an increased risk.

These findings provide important evidence about the potential impact of family- and school-based interventions on adolescent illicit drug use. Dr. Chen emphasized that interdisciplinary collaboration (e.g., integrated services) among social welfare, education, and healthcare systems is crucial in addressing adolescent illicit drug use. She suggests that future policies and interventions should consider several approaches: (1) enhancing drug-prevention education for high-risk families through social welfare systems; (2) improving parent–teacher collaboration in school-based drug prevention programs; and (3) strengthening risk-assessment mechanisms for school dropouts to prevent further exposure to illicit drugs. By promoting early intervention, cross-sectoral collaboration, and evidence-based services, policymakers can help prevent adolescents from suffering drug-related health and developmental challenges.