Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: Implications for substance abuse prevention.

Abstract

The authors suggest that the most promising route to effective strategies for the prevention of adolescent alcohol and other drug problems is through a risk-focused approach. This approach requires the identification of risk factors for drug abuse, identification of methods by which risk factors have been effectively addressed, and application of these methods to appropriate high-risk and general population samples in controlled studies. The authors review risk and protective factors for drug abuse, assess a number of approaches for drug abuse prevention potential with high-risk groups, and make recommendations for research and practice.

Alcohol use from ages 9 to 16: A cohort-sequential latent growth model

“…Specifically, higher levels of peer deviance and peer encouragement of alcohol use were related to greater increases in the rate of alcohol use between the ages of 9 and 16. These peer factors and others have been found in prior studies to be related to youth alcohol use (e.g., Barnes et al, 1995;Duncan et al, 1994;Hawkins et al, 1992). Since peer social reinforcement is an influential force in an adolescent's life, it makes sense that youth will be more likely to engage in deviant behaviors such as alcohol use when their peers engage in or encourage such behaviors (Dishion et al, 2003;Guilamo-Ramos et al, 2004).…”

“…The literature on peer influences on adolescent alcohol use suggests that the influence of peers is at least equal to, if not greater than, that of parents and other family members (e.g., Kandel, 1985). Association with deviant, alcohol-and drug-using peers, and peer encouragement to use alcohol, have been shown to influence adolescent alcohol use Duncan et al, 1994;Hawkins et al, 1992).…”

Mediators and Moderators of Parental Involvement on Substance Use: A National Study of Adolescents

“…Thus, the propensity to engage in risk-taking behaviors is viewed as one of the many risk factors for adolescent problem behavior, and the desire for risk taking is positively correlated with substance use (Hawkins et al, 1992). A newer direction has been to understand the dynamics and linkages between these risk and protective factors, including both indirect and direct effects (Jessor, 1998;Schulenberg et al, 2001).…”

Who receives cannabis use offers: A general population study of adolescents

“…Moreover, youth with problem behaviors and with drug-using peers were more likely to encounter cannabis use opportunities (Neumark et al, 2012;Pinchevsky et al, 2012), while delinquent youth were more likely to receive offers to purchase illegal drugs (Rosenberg and Anthony, 2001). Overall, similar risk factors seem to operate for adolescent cannabis use opportunities as for the actual cannabis use (Brook et al, 2001;Coffey et al, 2000;Hawkins et al, 1992).…”