Exploring the role of emotional and behavioral problems in a personality-targeted prevention program for substance use in adolescents and young adults with intellectual disability

Adolescents and young adults with a mild intellectual disability or borderline functioning (MID-BIF) are at risk for problematic substance use more likely to have emotional behavioral problems than peers without MID-BIF. A personality-targeted prevention program called Take it Personal! effectively reduces in adolescents The program’s effectiveness was examined on its secondary goal: reducing problems. potentially moderating role of these the also explored. Substance were compared between participants (n = 34) those control condition 32) quasi-experimental pre-posttest study three-month follow-up. Effectiveness moderation assessed multilevel models. seems reduce rule breaking. There no significant effects anxiety, withdrawal, aggression. None problem domains moderated frequency. may Moreover, adolescent different levels benefit equally terms reduced use.