In recent years, cognitive-behavioral interventions for adolescent alcohol and drug abuse have gained considerable empirical support. This emerging support for cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), specifically with substance-abusing adolescents represents significant progress in the field. This paper examines the evidence for the effectiveness of CBT for adolescent substance abuse. The theoretical underpinnings of the model are presented, as well as a descriptive review of the early research. The paper reviews findings from recent controlled clinical trials evaluating outpatient adolescent substance abuse treatments. These trials contributed substantial new empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of CBT for adolescent substance-use disorders. It is recommended strongly that research focus on improving short- and long-term outcomes, improving engagement techniques, and identifying youths for whom CBT is likely to be a beneficial treatment modality. References