The Associations Between Parents' References to Their Own Past Substance Use and Youth's Substance-Use Beliefs and Behaviors: A Comparison of Latino and European American Youth

Abstract

Using primary socialization theory and theory of planned behavior, this study examined how targeted parent–child communication against substance use and parents' references to the negative consequences of their own past substance use (from the youth's perspective) directly and indirectly relate to Latino and European American youth's external norms (e.g., injunctive and descriptive), internal beliefs (e.g., personal norms, attitudes, and refusal efficacy), and substance use. This study used cross‐sectional survey data from 253 Latino and 308 European American (N = 561) 6th‐ to 8th‐grade students. Targeted parent–child communication was related to higher levels of antisubstance‐use perceptions, whereas parents' references to their own past use was related to lower levels of antisubstance‐use perceptions. Ethnic differences emerged with respect to specific mediators.

Introduction to Special Issue

“…For example, a number of studies have found that effective parental monitoring of adolescent activities can reduce risk for substance use (Fosco, Stormshak, Dishion, & Winter, 2012;Griffin, Botvin, Scheier, Diaz, & Miller, 2000;Van Ryzin, Fosco, & Dishion, 2012). Research also supports a link between parent-adolescent relationship quality and adolescent substance use (Hummel, Shelton, Heron, Moore, & Bree, 2013;Ledoux, Miller, Choquet, & Plant, 2002;Van Ryzin et al, 2012), as well as effective parent-youth communication and adolescent substance use (Kam, Basinger, & Abendschein, 2015;Kam, Castro, & Wang, 2015;Kam & Middleton, 2013;Miller-Day & Dodd, 2004;Miller-Day & Kam, 2010;Reimuller, Hussong, & Ennett, 2011;Zaharakis, Taylor, & Kliewer, 2015).…”

“…This led to a third generation of SUD family communication research conducted by Kam (2011) and colleagues examining parent-adolescent communication about substances as a protective factor against adolescent substance use (Kam, 2011;Kam, Basinger, et al, 2015;Lee & Kam, 2015;MillerDay & Kam, 2010), but also exploring peer prevention communication (Kam, 2011;Kam, FigueroaCaballero, & Basinger, 2016a;Kam, Krieger, Basinger, & Figueroa-Caballero, 2016b;, and ethnic similarities and differences between non-Latino/a Whites and Latinos/as in parentyouth communication about substances (Kam & Cleveland, 2011;Kam & Middleton, 2013;Kam, Potocki, & Hecht, 2014a;Kam, Wang, & Harvey, 2014b;Kam & Yang, 2014).…”

“…Primary socialization theory is employed most often because Oetting and colleagues argue that youth develop certain norms, attitudes, and values regarding substance use (and other delinquent behavior) through their direct interactions with parents, peers (and friends), and school, as well as their indirect interactions with associational groups (e.g., clubs, volunteer groups, or sports teams), extended family, religious institutions, communities, and media (Oetting & Donnermeyer, 1998). Although a number of primary and secondary sources shape youth's substance use beliefs and behaviors, primary socialization theory predicts that if parents engage in anti-substance-use conversations with their youth, the youth will likely develop antisubstance-use beliefs, and in turn, less likely to engage in substance use (Kam & Middleton, 2013).…”

“…Past research (e.g., Kafka & London, 1991) has primarily focused on: (a) general openness or frequency of parent-child communication in relation to adolescent substance use, and more recently, (b) how SSPC relates to adolescent substance use (Kam & Middleton, 2013;Miller-Day & Kam, 2010). To extend such research, Choi and colleagues suggested that the effects of SSPC on adolescent substance use likely depend on their family communication environment, as characterized by their expressiveness, structural traditionalism, and avoidance.…”

Parent–child connectedness and communication in relation to alcohol, tobacco and drug use in adolescence: An integrative review of the literature

“…When mothers reported high levels of alcohol use, they were more likely to talk about their own negative experiences of alcohol use and when they did so, adolescents were more likely to consume greater amounts of alcohol (Handley & Chassin, 2013). Parental disclosures are also associated with more favourable beliefs towards substance use behaviour (Kam & Middleton, 2013). One study, however, found that parental disclosures were associated with higher self-efficacy to refuse alcohol (Mares et al, 2013).…”