Substance use prevention among the intellectually disabled: an assessment of needs from the professional’s perspective

Prevention in drug addiction has been proven to be one of the most effective ways of\r\ncoping with this disorder, especially in the populations who are vulnerable to the consequences\r\nof drug abuse, such as the intellectually disabled. Evidence-based prevention\r\nprograms must start with a sound assessment of needs to determine the special characteristics\r\nof the group that is being addressed and its relationship with the substance, such\r\nas motivations, risk and protective factors, consequences and beliefs about substance use\r\nin this population. A needs assessment was conducted in this study following a qualitative\r\nmethodology to determine which factors should be taken into account when designing a\r\nprogram of drug prevention for people with intellectual disabilities. The results showed\r\nimportant factors to be the flexibility of programs and the role of the family in prevention\r\nprograms addressing this population.

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Authors

  • Maider Rández-Diago - Síndrome Clínicas Universitarias

  • Remedios Aguilar-Moya - Facultad de Psicología, Magisterio y Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad Católica San Vicente Mártir de Valencia.

  • Margarita Gutiérrez-Moret - Facultad de Psicología, Magisterio y Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad Católica San Vicente Mártir de Valencia.

  • Antonio Vidal-Infer - Facultad de Medicina y Odontología. Universidad de Valencia.

Keywords:

Intellectual disabilities, prevention, substance use, alcohol.

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