ANTECEDENTS OF ADOLESCENT INITIATION INTO STAGES OF DRUG USE - A DEVELOPMENTAL ANALYSIS (FROM LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH ON DRUG USE - EMPIRICAL FINDINGS AND METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES, 1978, BY KANDEL - SEE NCJ-50619)

• NCJ Number: 50621
• Author(s): D B KANDEL; R C KESSLER; R Z MARGULIES
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 27 pages
• Corporate Author: Hemisphere Publishing Corp
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

FACTORS RELATED TO THE INITIATION OF HARD LIQUOR, MARIHUANA, AND OTHER ILLICIT DRUG USE ARE EXAMINED IN A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF OVER 5,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN N.Y.

Abstract

THE STUDY FOCUSES ON THE EFFECTS OF THE INTERPERSONAL INFLUENCES OF PARENTS AND PEERS ON DRUG USE BY ADOLESCENTS. DATA ON USE OF ALCOHOL, MARIHUANA, AND OTHER ILLICIT DRUGS (HASHISH, PSYCHEDELICS, AMPHETAMINES, BARBITURATES, TRANQUILIZERS, OPIATES) WERE GATHERED FROM STUDY SUBJECTS ON TWO OCCASIONS OVER THE COURSE OF A SCHOOL YEAR. DATA PERTAINING TO INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND ATTITUDES WERE GATHERED FROM THE SUBJECTS, THEIR PARENTS, AND THEIR BEST FRIENDS. THE RESULTS OF A MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS OF THE LONGITUDINAL DATA SUPPORT AND REFINE A DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL OF INVOLVEMENT IN DRUG USE THAT WAS FIRST PROPOSED ON THE BASIS OF CROSS-SECTIONAL DATA ANALYSIS. PRIOR INVOLVEMENT IN MINOR DELINQUENT ACTIVITIES IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE INITIATION OF HARD LIQUOR USE. ANOTHER FACTOR IS EXPOSURE TO PEERS AND PARENTS WHO DRINK. BELIEFS AND VALUES INIMICAL TO THE STANDARDS UPHELD BY MANY ADULTS ARE IMPORTANT TO THE INITIATION OF MARIHUANA USE, AS IS ASSOCIATION WITH MARIHUANA-USING FRIENDS. PARENTAL FACTORS, FEELINGS OF DEPRESSION, AND CONTACT WITH DRUG-USING PEERS ARE MOST SIGNIFICANT IN THE INITIATION INTO OTHER ILLICIT DRUGS. THE FINDINGS SHOW THAT MANY OF THE FACTORS PREVIOUSLY FOUND TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS KINDS OF DRUG BEHAVIORS AT ONE POINT IN TIME ACTUALLY PRECEDE THE USE OF THESE DRUGS. THE FINDINGS ALSO HAVE GENERAL IMPLICATIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING ADOLESCENT SOCIALIZATION AND INVOLVEMENT IN INCREASINGLY DEVIANT BEHAVIORS. FOR EXAMPLE, PARENTAL AND PEER INFLUENCES APPARENTLY ARE EXERTED INDEPENDENTLY OF ONE ANOTHER, WITH DIFFERENT SOURCES OF INFLUENCE ACTING ON DIFFERENT KINDS OF BEHAVIOR. THE FINDING THAT DRUG BEHAVIORS OF PARENTS AND PEERS ARE CONSISTENTLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN DRUG-RELATED BELIEFS AND VALUES AS PREDICTORS OF TRANSITIONS INTO ADOLESCENT DRUG USE SUGGESTS THAT ADOLESCENT SOCIALIZATION MAY TAKE PLACE MORE THROUGH A MODELING EFFECT THAN THROUGH SOCIAL REINFORCEMENT. THE FINDINGS ALSO SUGGEST THAT SITUATIONAL AND INTERPERSONAL FACTORS ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR INITIATION INTO A BEHAVIOR, WHEREAS INTRAPSYCHIC FACTORS ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR INCREASED INVOLVEMENT IN THAT BEHAVIOR. LIMITATIONS OF THE DATA ARE POINTED OUT. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)