We examined the concurrent and longitudinal associations between risk factors and substance use for a sample of high school students. Ten risk factors were defined that assessed numerous important personal and social areas of life. These factors were found to be associated with ever using, frequency of use, and heavy use of cigarettes, alcohol, cannabis, and hard drugs. Few effects were

The search for the one causal influence to account for youthful drug use has always failed. An alternate approach is advocated and tested that relates exposure to and impact of various types of psychosocial risk factors to understanding substance use. Data were obtained from 2,926 students in the 7th, 9th, and 11th grades. Twelve risk factors were selected and tested. These 12 variables were able to explain over 50% of the variance in a measure of general drug use. A unit-weighted, summed index of risk factors was linearly related to use and abuse (heavy use) of cigarettes, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, hard drugs, and a composite substance use score. Differential exposure to and impact of risk factors on drug-taking behaviors were tested for differences by sex, age, ethnicity, and type of school attending. Patterns of exposure were somewhat different than patterns of vulnerability and impact, and can partially account for the status-group differences in drug use.

No abstract

Analyses were conducted to determine whether addicts coerced into treatment by actions of the criminal justice system differed from voluntary entrants in terms of background characteristics, early risk factors, or drug use and criminal behavior during pretreatment, treatment, and post treatment periods. Subjects were categorized into high, moderate, and low legal coercion groups based on their official legal status, related narcotics testing requirements, and their self‐reported perceptions of criminal justice system coercion. Those induced to enter the treatment program through legal channels had slightly higher rates of serious property offenses and higher proportions of time incarcerated and under legal supervision, but they did not differ from voluntary entrants in overall criminal behavior during pretreatment periods. All groups showed substantial improvement in level of narcotics use, criminal involvement, and most other behaviors during treatment, but there was some regression after treatment.

No abstract