NCJ Number
197163
Journal
Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: 2002 Pages: 67-81
Date Published
2002
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article examines the relationship between family variables and adolescent substance use.
Abstract
The variables that may influence adolescent substance use during the 6 months following inpatient treatment are parental substance use, family aftercare attendance, and adolescent ratings of family helpfulness. The hypothesis was that the effects of parental substance use on adolescent use would be mediated by family aftercare attendance and family helpfulness ratings. Participants were recruited from two private inpatient substance abuse treatment programs if they met criteria for a psychoactive substance abuse or dependence diagnosis. The average age of the sample was 16 years old and over half were female. Results show that higher ratings of family helpfulness at the 3 months and 6 months post treatment were associated with lower levels of adolescent drug and alcohol use during the follow-up periods. Attendance at treatment aftercare meetings was positively related to adolescent outcome over the 6 month time period. No relationship was found between parental drug and alcohol use and the other three variables of interest: family helpfulness, aftercare attendance, or adolescent post-treatment outcome. The findings indicate that family attendance at aftercare meetings and greater adolescent perception of family helpfulness were associated with lower rates of post-treatment substance involvement for adolescents. These results reinforce the role of the family in outcome following treatment for adolescent substance abuse and emphasize the value of providing parents with access to aftercare meetings following discharge. 2 figures, 2 tables, 1 note, 24 references