Substance Abuse Prevention With Preschool Children

A review of the literature supports the need for substance abuse prevention programs with preschool children. Because children are experimenting with chemical substances at an earlier age, preschool children need to learn effective life skills that will prepare them to cope with the pressures of a prosubstance use environment. Based on theories of human development and social learning, attitudes are formed in the preschool years and reflect a combination of the child's perceptions and his home environment. There are multiple predictors of substance use/abuse that may be established in early childhood. Based on the predictors of substance use/abuse and social learning theory, appropriate prevention programs can be designed for preschool children.