Social-Ecological Influences on Patterns of Substance Use Among Non-Metropolitan High School Students
January 22nd, 2010 Posted by: admin
Abstract Patterns of substance use are examined in a sample of over 1,200 youth in a non-metropolitan region of New England. Self-reported
history and frequency of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, inhalants, pain medications, and other hard drug use was assessed for
9th and 10th grade students. Latent class analyses identified four patterns of substance use: non-users (22%), alcohol experimenters
(38%), occasional polysubstance users (29%), and frequent polysubstance users (10%). Contextual risk and protective factors
in the individual, family, peer, and community domains predicted substance use patterns. Youth report of peer substance use
had the largest effects on substance use class membership. Other individual characteristics (e.g., gender, antisocial behavior,
academic performance, perceived harm from use), family characteristics (e.g., parental drinking, parental disapproval of youth
use), and community characteristics (e.g., availability of substances) demonstrated consistent effects on substance use classes.
Implications for prevention are discussed from a social-ecological perspective.
history and frequency of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, inhalants, pain medications, and other hard drug use was assessed for
9th and 10th grade students. Latent class analyses identified four patterns of substance use: non-users (22%), alcohol experimenters
(38%), occasional polysubstance users (29%), and frequent polysubstance users (10%). Contextual risk and protective factors
in the individual, family, peer, and community domains predicted substance use patterns. Youth report of peer substance use
had the largest effects on substance use class membership. Other individual characteristics (e.g., gender, antisocial behavior,
academic performance, perceived harm from use), family characteristics (e.g., parental drinking, parental disapproval of youth
use), and community characteristics (e.g., availability of substances) demonstrated consistent effects on substance use classes.
Implications for prevention are discussed from a social-ecological perspective.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- DOI 10.1007/s10464-009-9289-x
- Authors
- Christian M. Connell, Yale University School of Medicine The Consultation Center New Haven CT 06516 USA
- Tamika D. Gilreath, Yale University School of Medicine The Consultation Center New Haven CT 06516 USA
- Will M. Aklin, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD USA
- Robert A. Brex, Northeast Communities Against Substance Abuse (NECASA) Dayville CT USA
- Journal American Journal of Community Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2770
- Print ISSN 0091-0562
