Inter‐ and Intragenerational Influences on Adolescent Marijuana Use¹

Abstract

To investigate inter‐ and intragenerational influences in adolescent marijuana use, a survey was undertaken on a representative sample of public secondary school students in New York State. Independent data were obtained from adolescents, their parents, and their best‐school‐friends. These relational data document the crucial role which members of the same generation play in adolescent illegal drug use. Involvement with other drug‐using adolescents is a more important correlate of adolescent marijuana use than is parental use of psychoactive drugs or alcohol (which provides a small influence). Inter‐ and intragenerational influences are synergistic, however. The highest rates of marijuana usage are observed among adolescents whose parents and best friends are drug users. Interactional generational factors influence levels of intragenerational influences. Implications of these data for parental and peer influence, the generation gap, and social change are discussed.

Sociale steun van ouders en vrienden en emotionele problemen in de adolescentie

“…Armsden & Greenberg, 1987;Nada Raja e.a., 1992), maar ook voor het idee dat vriendschapsrelaties in de adolescentie een relatief eigen wereld gaan vormen, die niet door de relatie met de ouders gedetermineerd wordt, de terreinhypothese (zie bijv. Brittain, 1968;Kandel & Lesser, 1969;Kandel, 1974;Reed, McBroom, Lindekugel, Roberts & Tureck, 1986;Meeus, 1989;Cauce & Srebnik, 1990;Meeus, 1994a).…”

Family practices and adolescent use of legal and illegal drugs: a review

“…It is generally acknowledged that adolescents' marihuana use closely parallels that of their closest friends (Jessor & Jessor 1977;Kandel 1974). However, adolescents may overestimate the similarity in their friends' behaviour.…”

Initiation to marijuana use: analysis of panel data in a predictive model framework

“…Kandel (1974) and Plant (1975) both found that their research findings supported the theory of differential association developed by Sutherland.…”

“…Various investigators (e.g. Kandel, 1974;Plant, 1975;Sadava, 1973a) have noted that their research supports differential association theory explanations for marijuana use.…”