The Sweet Spot approach focuses on resilience, personal strengths and social skills. Prior research indicates that merely providing adolescents with information about drinking moderately (or not drinking at all) is ineffective.
Instead of simply telling young people NOT to drink or to AVOID situations where alcohol may be present altogether, we acknowledge that most people WILL be presented with such scenarios, and that drinking may be seen as important for bonding with friends. We aim to help young people develop the personal strengths and social skills to make healthy choices. We believe that this will result in better behavioural outcomes (such as lower alcohol consumption) because young people will have the resources to make healthy choices and be motivated to do so. This approach is based on research evidence in the psychology of alcohol use and health behaviours.
First, developing personal strengths and social skills to make it easier for young people to engage in healthy behaviours. A young person’s belief that they can avoid drinking excessively is strongly associated with an actual ability to avoid drinking excessively. There are strategies that are proven to promote self-belief and subsequent behaviours, such as: setting goals, identifying barriers, practicing and rehearsing strategies, self-monitoring and making specific resolutions.
Second, young people’s choices about whether – and how – to drink alcohol, are seen as choices made within social situations, since that is generally where alcohol use occurs. These choices relate to a person’s feelings about the people, places and activities important to them. Taking this approach has three key benefits. Young people can think about alcohol-related challenges in their lives, such as feeling safe at a party or having enough money left over for other things. Young people can identify feasible and realistic health behaviours . Also, programmes are more effective if they work with young people's positive feelings about friendships and relationships.
Third, we provide much-needed pro-active messages and strategies about how to make healthy choices about alcohol use, and reassurances that it is possible to do so. These messages comes straight from the mouths of real young people – showing that not only is it possible to have a good time without drinking too much, but how lots of young people are already doing this. This also means taking the focus off alcohol: healthy choices are easier and more attractive when you have access to a range of alternative interests and activities so that drinking isn’t the only thing you do with your friends.
Finally, engaging with young people through schools tends to work. School-based, age-appropriate approaches which strengthen psychosocial skills are effective in reducing drunkenness and binge drinking. Schools-based approaches that foster a sense of togetherness and improve relationships are also associated with reduced substance use.