title: Introduction and rationale for individualized substance abuse prevention from an ontogenetic perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Progress in substance abuse prevention science could be accelerated by more closely aligning studies, methodologies, and intervention program testing with the ontogenetic orientations of its underlying theories and etiology research. This article introduces the Ontogenetic Prevention approach, describes some aspects of what this orientation offers for substance abuse prevention, and provides an overview of this full special issue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of the substance abuse prevention literature illustrates specific aspects of Ontogenetic Prevention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Ontogenetic Prevention perspective and each of the manuscripts in this special issue provide channels whereby substance abuse prevention can evolve from a science that relies largely on universal intervention to diversification for meeting the needs of individuals under specific developmental circumstances.
authors.affiliation: Center for Education and Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA.
authors.forename: Ty A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Ridenour
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Stormshak
mesh_terms: D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology