A new study by researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine in the United States (US) has found that regular family dinners may help prevent substance use for a majority of US adolescents.

Results of the study published in the ‘Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma’, suggests that the strategy is not effective for youth who have experienced significant childhood adversity.

The findings provide important insights for practitioners looking to help families prevent substance use, as well as for researchers aiming to develop interventions that better account for adolescents’ unique experiences.

The researchers analysed online survey data from 2,090 U.S. adolescents ages 12 to 17 and their parents and asked participants about the quality of their family meals— including communication, enjoyment, digital distractions, and logistics—as well as adolescents’ alcohol, ecigarette, and cannabis use in the previous six months.

Higher family dinner quality was associated with a 22 per cent to 34 per cent lower prevalence of substance use among adolescents who had either no or low to moderate levels of adverse childhood experiences.