Risk factors for early adolescent drug use in four ethnic and racial groups.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES. It is widely believed that risk factors identified in previous epidemiologic studies accurately predict adolescent drug use. Comparative studies are needed to determine how risk factors vary in prevalence, distribution, sensitivity, and pattern across the major US ethnic/racial groups. METHODS. Baseline questionnaire data from a 3-year epidemiologic study of early adolescent development and drug use were used to conduct bivariate and multivariate risk factor analyses. Respondents (n = 6760) were sixth- and seventh-grade Cuban, other Hispanic, Black, and White non-Hispanic boys in the 48 middle schools of the greater Miami (Dade County) area. RESULTS. Findings indicate 5% lifetime illicit drug use, 4% lifetime inhalant use, 37% lifetime alcohol use, and 21% lifetime tobacco use, with important intergroup differences. Monotonic relationships were found between 10 risk factors and alcohol and illicit drug use. Individual risk factors were distributed disproportionately, and sensitivity and patterning of risk factors varied widely by ethnic/racial subsample. CONCLUSIONS. While the cumulative prevalence of risk factors bears a monotonic relationship to drug use, ethnic/racial differences in risk factor profiles, especially for Blacks, suggest differential predictive value based on cultural differences.

Mediators and Moderators of Parental Involvement on Substance Use: A National Study of Adolescents

“…Much of this research has documented more similarities than differences across ethnic groups (Avenevoli et al, 1999;Bray et al, 2001;Costa et al, 1999;Gottfredson & Koper, 1997;Herman et al, 1997;Roski et al, 1997) but some do report differences (Griesler & Kandel, 1998;Pilgrim et al, 1999;Vega et al, 1998). Overall, studies of direct effects suggest similarity across ethnicity in the developmental processes of substance use, but of course, this cannot be assumed only by an examination of direct relationships between predictors and substance use.…”

Adolescent alcohol involvement and suicide attempts: Toward the development of a conceptual framework

“…First, among a sample of 1,325 nationally representative adolescents living in Greece (Madianos et al, 1994), suicide attempt in the previous year discriminated between problem and non-problem drinkers, controlling for internalizing traits (i.e., depressive symptoms), externalizing traits (i.e., other drug use and dropping out of school), and other covariates (e.g., family alcohol problems). Second, among a sample of 6,760 boys recruited from the greater Miami area (Vega, Zimmerman, Warheit, Apospori, & Gil, 1993), neither lifetime suicide attempt nor depressive symptoms was associated with an alcohol use composite (i.e., lifetime use, frequency of use, and age of alcohol initiation) controlling for externalizing traits (e.g., delinquency) and other covariates (e.g., peer approval of substance use, low family pride, and problematic family substance use), which were all uniquely associated with alcohol use. The extant data is inconclusive as to whether suicide attempt accounts for unique variance in AI.…”

Parent–Child Acculturation Discrepancies as a Risk Factor for Substance Use among Hispanic Adolescents in Southern California

“…These include peer substance use, peer norms, family substance use problems, general delinquency, rebelliousness, and other variables [30]. Some of these risk and protective factors, in addition to family cohesion, also may mediate the association between parentchild acculturation discrepancy and adolescent substance use.…”