Prevention communications resources

Prevention communications are an essential component of a comprehensive substance use prevention strategy.

How we communicate about substance use can shape attitudes, perceived norms, and behavior. Providing youth and their parents/caregivers with credible, accurate, and age-appropriate information framed in a way that makes the message accessible to them is an integral part of a comprehensive prevention strategy.

Effective prevention communications goes beyond simply sharing information. It entails using the best available evidence to intentionally craft and deliver messages that promote positive attitudes, beliefs, social norms, and behaviors.

The goal is not simply to communicate more, but to communicate intentionally, accurately, and in ways that align with prevention science.

Messaging for substance use prevention involves:

  • Clarifying your prevention goal. Whether the goal is to build support for prevention, strengthen positive norms, or prevent the onset or escalation of substance use, the approach should align with the desired outcome.
  • Using evidence-aligned strategies. Select messaging approaches based on what research tells us is effective, not simply what is familiar, attention-grabbing, or easy to implement.
  • Making messages developmentally and contextually appropriate. Consider young people’s developmental stage, culture, experiences, and the local community when developing and delivering messages.
  • Communicating accurate social norms. Youth and adults often overestimate how common or accepted substance use is among their peers. Most young people choose to be substance-free, yet many believe substance use is more prevalent and accepted than it actually is. Sharing accurate, positive local norms can help correct these misperceptions.
  • Being intentional about how messages are framed. What we emphasize, how we describe an issue, and what we leave out can influence how young people interpret a message and what they do next. Poorly framed messages can unintentionally reinforce the very attitudes and norms prevention efforts seek to change.

Communication Is Everywhere

Parents, schools, and communities are already communicating about substance use routinely through conversations, classrooms, newsletters, emails, social media, posters, and campaigns. A prevention-focused communications approach helps ensure the messages shared with youth work to support healthy choices.

When we inform our messaging by communication science, we increase the likelihood that those messages will change attitudes and behaviors, and shape the social norms of our communities.

ADAPT’s training, technical assistance, and resources can help you apply the best available evidence to strengthen prevention communications and maximize their impact on youth. Below is an overview of the prevention communications resources available to you. You can reach us at adapt@wb.hidta.org if we can be of any assistance!

Prevention Communications Resources

The following resources can be downloaded directly from our Prevention Intervention Resource Center in the section titled ‘Prevention Communications.’

Be sure to also check out previous prevention messaging campaign resources.

General Prevention Communications

Substance Use Prevention Communications: Quick-Reference Tools

As part of ADAPT’s MIND the MESSAGE campaign, quick reference tools were created to support communities in effective communication strategies for preventing the onset and escalation of substance use in youth. The following tools provide usable communication strategies supported by the best available evidence on the following topics: Developing a Communications Plan The Social Norms Intervention Talking with Youth about Substance Use Prevention Developing Prevention Messaging through Mass Media
Learn More

Sharing Substance-Related Information with Youth 11-18: Integrating the Best Available Evidence to Protect against Unintended Consequences

The purpose of this resource is to provide evidence-informed considerations for how to share substance-related information with youth 11-18 grounded in the science of social norms to reduce the risk of unintended harm. Frequent messaging about certain substances or statistics amplifying how common substance use is can create or strengthen incorrect beliefs that substance use is common or accepted among peers. These misperceptions of what is the “norm” can be harmful when they drive behavior. Research shows that youth misperceptions of peer substance use is associated with increased youth substance use and decreased likelihood of intervening in a situation to prevent use and/or harmful outcomes. Other messaging strategies that evoke fear or unintentionally glamorize or create stigma around substance use can also create unintended consequences. This resource focuses on a strategy for communicating to youth about substances in a way that promotes positive, healthy messaging alongside information sharing in order to reduce the risk of increasing misperceptions.
Learn more

Social Norms Approaches

The social norms approach is one of the most effective prevention communications strategies. By elevating the truth that most youth hold positive attitudes and are not using substances, this approach relies on widely sharing these positive norms to correct misperceptions and shape behavior. Access our Social Norms Resources page for more information and specific resources that align with this strategy.

A Guide to Implementing a Social Norms Media Campaign for Substance Use Prevention in Secondary Schools

Of all prevention communication strategies, the social norms approach has some of the strongest evidence supporting its use for preventing onset and escalation of substance use in youth. This comprehensive guide is designed to support schools and community partners in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of a social norms media campaign in middle, junior, and high school settings. The guide is organized into six sections that describe the social norms approach, provide step-by-step guidance to support planning, implementing, and evaluating a social norms media campaign, address common questions, and share resources to support implementation.
Learn more

Sharing Positive Youth Norms in the Broader Community

The purpose of this guide is to describe activation of the social norms approach at the broader community level to share positive youth norms in support of preventing youth substance use by correcting misperceptions of youth substance use. It offers practical strategies and examples to help individuals and organizations integrate the sharing and celebration of positive youth norms into their everyday work. Whether you engage directly with youth or support broader prevention efforts, this resource provides ideas to help you get started and make a meaningful impact.
Learn more