Webinar: Peer influence on substance use and mental health during adolescence

Dr Louise Birrell and Dr Jack Andrews, the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney

1 hour webinar recording and handout, available on demand.

Presented by Dr Louise Birrell and Dr Jack Andrews, this webinar is for school staff, parents, and any health professionals interested in peer influences on substance use and mental health.

Watch our webinar for an exploration of the unique period of adolescence, a time of significant biological, psychological, and social transformations. Adolescence is also a key time of social reorientation in which young people begin to spend more and more time with peers. As young people venture into the world of peer interactions, we delve into the concurrent emergence of common mental health challenges and the prevalence of substance experimentation.

In this webinar, we examine trends in adolescent substance use and mental health. We explore the profound impact of peers on shaping mental health and substance use patterns among young people. We discuss both positive and negative impacts and touch on new interventions attempting to harness the positive aspects of peer influence to improve outcomes among adolescents.

This webinar will provide:

• Information on current rates of mental health problems and substance use among adolescence, in Australia and around the world
• An understanding of the unique role of peers in influencing adolescent mental health and substance use
• How the school-based interventions can harness these peer influence effects to improve outcomes among young people

This webinar was developed by Dr Louise Birrell and Dr Jack Andrews, the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney. It was informed by a review of research evidence on this topic.

(Webinar conducted on 31/05/23)