NCJ Number
166413
Journal
Adolescence Volume: 31 Issue: 121 Dated: (Spring 1996) Pages: 59-77
Date Published
1996
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the relation between adolescents' perceptions of family characteristics and adolescent substance use patterns.
Abstract
The study used self-report questionnaire data from 253 high school students. Results indicated that adolescents' perception of maternal substance use, family hardiness, and age of the adolescent were significant predictors of adolescent substance use. Adolescents who perceived their families as managing stress by working toward common goals in an action-oriented manner appeared to be at reduced risk for alternative resources, such as substances, to cope with stressors. The primary importance of this study was to provide insights into specific family characteristics that were associated with variation in adolescent reports of problems with substance use. Such results can help researchers and practitioners design prevention and intervention programs for families at risk for adolescent substance use and to empower families to build internal resources that reduce the risk of substance use problems. Such programs would be consistent with the shift of treatment over the past decade of substance abusing adolescents to include family therapy. Tables, references