| Summary: | Philosophiae Doctor - PhD === The prevalence of substance abuse globally has been a cause for concern. South Africa is regarded as one of the countries with the highest substance abuse rates in the world. As a consequence, families, communities and society are seriously impacted and in some instances destroyed. The Western Cape has been hardest hit, with youth in particular affected as they are exposed to illicit substances in various environments. Prevention programmes remain an important aspect of drug control systems in South Africa. It is with this reality in mind that this study aimed at investigating the theory underpinning the development, implementation and the sustainability of school-based substance-abuse prevention programmes in the Western Cape. This qualitative study utilised a constructivist grounded theory to explore the factors that influenced the development, implementation, and sustainability of the existing school-based programmes. The documentary analysis and interviews were used as data collection methods. School principals, educators and community organisation representatives participated in the study. The findings revealed that the development, implementation and sustainability of school-based substance abuse prevention programmes are influenced by the following systemic influences; personal, environmental and relational influences. The theory developed in this research project provides a framework by which schools and community organisations are able to develop, implement and sustain substance-abuse prevention programmes.
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