Risk and resilience factors for substance use among street adolescents: Assessment and development of an integrative model

In this study, risk and protective factors for substance use were explored to develop an intervention program and test its efficacy among male street‐based adolescents. Twenty expert interviews and key informant interviews were conducted. In addition, 30 street adolescents (15 substance‐users and 15 non‐users) participated in four focus group discussions for needs assessment, wherein risk and protective factors were discussed. Based on the identified needs, an intervention package was developed and validated by experts. The package was implemented in a natural environment of 50 street adolescents. After the intervention, about 60% of the respondents quit or cut down on their substance use substantially, and approximately 40% of the respondents agreed to reunite with their respective families, while 20% did not change their substance use habits. The results showed that if several protective factors were present, there was a lower risk of substance use. Many factors contribute to substance use and protective factors need to be strengthened in order to make interventions effective.