Empirical evidence for the social stress model of substance abuse

Abstract

The Social Stress Model of Substance Abuse builds upon and integrates knowledge from numerous psychosocial theories and models. According to this model, the likelihood of an individual engaging in drug abuse is a function of the stress level and the extent to which it is offset by stress modifiers such as social networks, social competence, and resources. This article synthesizes current empirical evidence for this model. Thirty-five primary research studies are described, with special attention to the four psychosocial constructs inherent in the model: stress, social networks, social competence, and resources. Consistencies and inconsistencies in the findings, a critique of key methodological issues, and suggestions for future research are provided.

Neighborhood Environment and Urban African American Marijuana Use during High School

“…21,22 It may be a means of coping with the stress of the high school transition in the absence of protective neighborhood social supports. Similar to risk perceptions, we found that living in disordered neighborhoods, exposure to drug activity and sales, and exposure to violence in the community were associated with higher levels of depressed mood as well as an increased likelihood of transitioning from no use to infrequent and frequent use and problems.…”

“…According to the stress reduction hypothesis, drug use may be a means of coping with or alleviating the depressed mood that accompanies the stress of living in a violent neighborhood. [20][21][22] As seen in a cohort of urban African Americans residing in Chicago, violent victimization in young adulthood is associated with increased alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine use. 23 In the Baltimore city sample, contextual stress in 8th grade, which included exposure to community violence, was shown to be associated with drug use in 10th grade.…”

Chronic social stress: Changes in behavioral and physiological indices of emotion

“…Stress has long been regarded as a major factor in the development of a variety of psychopathologies, including depression and posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as in vulnerability to drug use and abuse [e.g., Lindenberg et al, 1993]. Because investigation of the behavioral, neurotransmitter, and hormonal changes associated with longterm stress can involve highly invasive procedures, animal models are used in much of the research in this area.…”

An Integrated Approach To Recruiting And Retaining Appalachian Engineering Students

“…Evidence of the strength of the larger Social Stress Model adapted for Appalachia for the EoT project is discussed elsewhere. 8,9,10,11,12 We used the Social Stress model precisely because it has been used in a wide variety of youth development research (alcohol and smoking prevention, for example) and we wanted to see if a similar approach could be used in STEM education among Appalachian youth.…”