Implementation and Evaluation of an Intervention for Children in Afghanistan at Risk for Substance Use or Actively Using Psychoactive Substances

Abstract

The present study examined the impact of a novel intervention for children at risk for substance use or actively using substances that was provided to 783 children between 4 and 18 years of age in Afghanistan. They received the Child Intervention for Living Drug-free (CHILD) protocol while in outpatient or residential treatment. CHILD included age-appropriate literacy and numeracy, drug education, basic living safety, and communication and trauma coping skills. A battery of measures examined multiple child health domains at treatment's start and end and 12 weeks later. For younger children, there were no significant Gender or Gender X Time effects (all p's > .16 and .35, resp.). The time main effect was significant for all outcomes (all p's < .00192, the prespecified per-comparison error rate). Post hoc testing showed significant improvements from residential treatment entry to completion for all scales. For older children, a time main effect was significant for (all p's < .00192, the prespecified per-comparison error rate) all but one outcome. Community follow-up means were significantly lower than residential treatment entry means. CHILD had a positive impact on children, and treatment impact endured from posttreatment to follow-up assessment.

Afghan mental health and psychosocial well-being: thematic review of four decades of research and interventions

“…210 Another evaluation study focused on motivational interviewing techniques, contingency management, skill-building education and art therapy techniques to prevent children at risk for substance use from declining into addictive behaviour; it showed promising results in a naturalistic study with children ( N = 783) in Afghanistan. 218…”

Implementation and Evaluation of a Psychoactive Substance Use Intervention for Children in Afghanistan: Differences Between Girls and Boys at Treatment Entry and in Response to Treatment

“…A battery of measures used in the CHILD project have been previously described [11]. Of relevance for this study is the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test-Youth (ASSIST-Y).…”

“…Children in Afghanistan face multiple challenges such as easy availability of substances, experiencing violence, trauma and life stresses. While our previous outcomes showed that the CHILD intervention had positive effects, possible gender effects were not previously examined in detail [11].…”

“…The CHILD project has been implemented in five Afghanistan provinces: Kabul, Herat, Balkh, Nangarhar, and Badakhshan and the project provided substance use treatment services with three components: outreach, outpatient, and residential treatment centers. Detailed information about the interventions can be found in another article [11].…”

“…The study suggested that family and religion were helpful coping mechanism and serves as resources for emotional support. Another study that assessed the impact of an intervention called "CHILD" "Child Intervention for Living Drug-free " shows that psychological and social problems were prevalent among children contacted by CHILD program and that the CHILD interventions had positive results for children who were at risk or using substances [11]. Children in Afghanistan face multiple challenges such as easy availability of substances, experiencing violence, trauma and life stresses.…”