Which intervention should a community mental health nurse implement as a method of primary prevention for substance use among adolescents?

The chosen intervention focuses on primary prevention, which aims to prevent the onset of substance use before it begins. By providing a presentation at area high schools on resisting peer pressure, the nurse is equipping adolescents with the skills and knowledge they need to say no to substances, promoting healthy behaviors, and empowering them to make better choices in social situations. This type of educational outreach can effectively reach a large audience and instill the necessary tools to navigate peer influences, thereby reducing the risk of developing substance use problems in the future.

In contrast, the other options target individuals who may already be facing challenges related to substance use or are more specialized interventions, which do not align with the concept of primary prevention. Individual counseling is aimed at those already experiencing issues, small group therapy focuses on substance users, and establishing a support group for parents relates to intervention for existing problems rather than preventing them in the first place. These approaches are more suitable for secondary or tertiary prevention, which deal with managing or mitigating the consequences of existing substance use rather than preventing its initiation.