Primary Socialization Theory: The Role Played by Personal Traits in the Etiology of Drug Use and Deviance. II

Abstract

Primary socialization theory proposes that drug use and deviant behaviors emerge from interactions with the primary socialization sources--the family, the school, and peer clusters. The theory further postulates that the individual's personal characteristics and personality traits do not directly relate to drug use and deviance, but, in nearly all cases, influence those outcomes only when they affect the interactions between the individual and the primary socialization sources. Interpretation of research results from the point of view of primary socialization theory suggests the following: 1) Characteristics such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem are related to drug use and deviance only when they have strong effects on the primary socialization process, i.e., among younger children; 2) Traits such as anger, aggression, and sensation seeking are related to drug use and deviance because these traits are more likely to influence the primary socialization process at all ages; 3) The psychopathologies that are least likely to interfere with bonding with prosocial socialization sources, the anxieties and most of the affective disorders, are less likely to have comorbidity drug dependence; and 4) Psychopathologies such as oppositional disorder, conduct disorder, attention deficit disorder, and antisocial personality are more likely to interfere with primary socialization, and the literature shows that these syndromes are also most likely to have a dual diagnosis with drug dependency.

Alienation, Aggression, and Sensation Seeking as Predictors of Adolescent Use of Violent Film, Computer, and Website Content

“…Studying the effects of alienation may be especially important in understanding possible negative effects of various forms of violent media content. Alienation, in contrast to largely dispositional traits such as aggression and sensation seeking, directly represents social dysfunction-failure to bond effectively with prosocial institutions such as family and school, or perhaps even with peers Oetting, Deffenbacher, & Donnermeyer, 1998). Aggression and sensation seeking, in contrast, are not inherently antisocial traits; they can potentially be associated with highly functional as well as dysfunctional behaviors.…”

Differences in the impact of the frequency and enjoyment of joint family activities on adolescent substance use and violence

“…In the present study, we investigate whether the 'protective' effect of JFA is mainly due to the time spent with parents or whether it is the adolescents' enjoyment of JFA that is responsible for the negative link to problem behaviours. Primary socialization theory may offer an explanation for the protective effect of JFA on adolescent problem behaviours (Oetting, Deffenbacher, & Donnermeyer, 1998;. It posits that the family, rather than school and peers, is the main primary socialization agent and tends to promote predominantly prosocial values which may 'arm' the adolescent against other social influences.…”

A Cross-National Comparison of Youth Risk Behaviors in Latino Secondary School Students Living in El Salvador and the USA

“…While this study was limited to a focus on adolescent health risk behavior, theoretical perspectives rooted in social bonding, social learning theories and resilience theory (Hawkins & Weis 1985;Kotliarenco et al 1997;Oetting et al 1998) highlight the importance of protective factors within an adolescent's primary socialization contexts for reducing adolescent risk behavior and contributing to adolescent well-being. We hope this study and future cross-national comparisons will provide a foundation for exploring the protective factors within the family, school and larger societal contexts that may account for differences in health risk behavior prevalence between adolescents from different countries, such as the lower substance use among Salvadoran adolescents and the higher condom use among Latinos living in the USA found in this study.…”