Reducing Risk Factors for Youth Substance Misuse on the Road to Prevention Success

Reducing Risk Factors for Youth Substance Misuse on the Road to Prevention Success

How can we prevent substance misuse unless we understand what places kids at greater risk of misusing drugs? During this 2-hour webinar, we will explore the risk factors that place youth at greater risk of substance misuse, as identified by the Social Development Research Group through systematic reviews of the research literature. Time will be spent exploring each risk factor to ensure that preventionists understand the meaning of each factor to address them effectively. This training will build on the information shared during the Great Lakes PTTC webinar on the importance of protective factors (October 8, 2026).  Protective Factors webinar information.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to:

• Describe the importance of focusing on both increasing protective factors and decreasing protective factors
• List the criteria used to identify factors that place youth at greater risk of substance misuse
• Understand the nuances that exist for each risk factor
• Put the risk factor framework into action in their communities