Objective: evaluate the impact of a Life Skills Training (LST) intervention on substance use intention by analyzing changes in neuropsychological organization and psychological regulation processes in adolescents living in social assistance institutions.Methodology Design: Parallel-group randomized controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Participants: 20 adolescents aged 12 to 17 with a minimum of 3 months of residence in foster care homes in Mexicali, Baja California.Intervention: The experimental group will undergo 8 sessions (60 minutes each) of LST, while the control group will receive a traditional psychoeducational intervention of the same duration.Key Measures: Electroencephalography (EEG) will be used to monitor cortical maturation (Alpha/Theta power) and frontal asymmetry. Clinical scales including DERS, DUSI, BANFE-2, and substance use intention questionnaires will also be administered.RationaleIn Mexico, the average age of onset for substance use has dropped to 12-13 years. Institutionalized adolescents face heightened vulnerability due to histories of trauma, neglect, and environmental exposure to high-lethality substances such as fentanyl and methamphetamines in the border region
Adolescents aged 12 to 17 who have lived in the participating children's home.
Ability to understand and respond to the tests and questionnaires administered during the study.
Approval and signature of the director or legal guardians of the social welfare institutions on the informed consent form.
Adolescents diagnosed with externalizing disorders, intellectual disabilities, or severe or serious psychiatric disorders that prevent them from understanding the intervention protocol.
Adolescents who are undergoing administrative processes such as family reintegration or imminent relocation that make it difficult to complete the assessments.
Participation in other studies that interfere with the application of the assessment instruments.
Situations of acute emotional, medical, or behavioral crisis observed by the administrative staff of social welfare institutions.