With this issue in mind, a team
of American researchers reviewed the available scientific literature and suggested four important considerations to maximize the clinical
impact of future research regarding
adolescent depression symptoms and
substance use.
The concept
of resilience and closely related research regarding protective factors provides one avenue for addressing mental well - being that is suggested to have an
impact on
adolescent substance use.8 — 17 Resilience has been variably defined as the process
of, capacity for, or outcome
of successful adaptation in the context
of risk or adversity.9, 10, 12, 13, 18 Despite this variability, it is generally agreed that a range
of individual and environmental protective factors are thought to: contribute to an individual's resilience; be critical for positive youth development and protect
adolescents from engaging in risk behaviours, such as
substance use.19 — 22 Individual or internal resilience factors refer to the personal skills and traits
of young people (including self - esteem, empathy and self - awareness).23 Environmental or external resilience factors refer to the positive influences within a young person's social environment (including connectedness to family, school and community).23 Various studies have separately reported such factors to be negatively associated with
adolescent use of different types
of substances, 12, 16, 24 — 36 for example, higher self - esteem16, 29, 32, 35 is associated with lower likelihood
of tobacco and alcohol
use.
Thus, illicit drug
use may serve as an avenue to escape or dissociate from the immediate emotional pain, anxiety, and anger that likely accompany such experiences.46, 47 The current findings are supported by previous studies that have reported associations between forms
of childhood abuse and
substance abuse in
adolescents.46, 48,49 The adverse developmental and emotional
impact of these interrelated childhood experiences, combined with behaviors inherent among this age group, 19 — 21 all may contribute to the especially strong graded relationship that we found in this age group.
In addition to coping skills, family based factors, such as supportive parent — child relationships, buffer the
impact of stress and reduce
adolescent risk behaviors, including
substance use (Marshal and Chassin, 2000; Branstetter et al., 2009).