Prevention

prevention efforts are becoming more relevant and necessary than ever before. Adolescence is a critical period for brain development, marked by the need for early intervention.

The Israel Center on Addiction, in collaboration with the Maytiv Center at the Interdisciplinary

Center (Reichman University), developed The Positive Psychology Addiction Prevention (PPAP) program for adolescents. The PPAP program, based on positive psychology, consists of two comprehensive and parallel curricula: one designed for educators, the other for students. 

The program addresses a wide range of addictions that typically commence at adolescence, while promoting core social and emotional skills, including fostering peer relationships, self-regulation, coping with crises, positive interpersonal communication, goal setting, positive life choices and nurturing positive emotions. 

The program has been implemented alongside rigorous research assessing rates of use of substance and addictive behaviors as well as outcomes of the program.

The program was launched from Eilat to Kiryat Shmona, in both the Jewish and Arab sectors, with a focus on schools in the socio-economic and geographic periphery of Israel