NCJ Number
224207
Journal
Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 17 Issue: 4 Dated: 2008 Pages: 133-152
Date Published
2008
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This study identified and analyzed factors associated with differences in substance abuse between no acculturated and acculturated Hispanic youth.
Abstract
The study findings support the growing body of evidence that suggests acculturation, as measured in this study by language spoken at home, is a strong predictor of substance use among Hispanic youth. This effect of acculturation may be mediated primarily through the family and peer/individual psychosocial domains as defined within social development theory. This theory proposes that positive bonding is one of the critical elements that leads to positive youth development and that children learn patterns of behaviors that are either prosocial, when they develop bonds to a family with strong moral values, or antisocial values, when they are raised in families with weak or questionable values and norms. Compared to those who speak Spanish at home, adolescents who speak English are more likely to associate with deviant peers, to live in families with higher tolerance for delinquent behaviors, and to live in communities with greater perceived access to drugs and firearms. The findings suggest that interventions with Hispanic youth may be most successful if they incorporate a family approach with activities designed to reconnect family bonds that have been disrupted by the acculturation process. There should be a focus on immigrant parents maintaining their cultural traditions while monitoring their children’s peer associations. Study data came from the 2004 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, a statewide collaborative effort of four Florida government agencies. The survey questionnaire incorporated sociodemographic items (age, sex, location of residence, and level of schooling of participants’ parents); items on tobacco, alcohol, and illicit substance use; perceptions and attitudes toward drug use; and delinquent activities. The outcome variable was “past 30-day use of marijuana/hashish” (yes/no). 5 tables, 2 figures, and 38 references