It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it: a qualitative study of advice for young cannabis users.

INTRODUCTION

Advice is a widely recommended and practised intervention with young drug users. Study of precisely how advice is given and received in any setting has, however, been limited.

DESIGN AND METHODS

We qualitatively analysed 106 audio-recordings of advice sessions on cannabis use for young people within a randomised trial. Inductive data analysis was guided by a focus on practitioner behaviour which served to engage the active participation of the young drug user in the session.

RESULTS

A cluster of 'Information Management' activities was identified together with an 'Interactive Orientation' evident in a series of specific behaviours. Participants were most successfully engaged when both were combined, understood here as 'Personalised Advice-giving'.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

These components identified in this exploratory study might assist further research in rectifying the absence of a solid empirical basis for effective practice in advice giving with young drug users and more widely.