NCJ Number
200657
Journal
Journal of Drug Education Volume: 33 Issue: 1 Dated: 2003 Pages: 1-23
Date Published
2003
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This journal article discusses the effects of peer influence and personal attitude on adolescent substance use.
Abstract
The transition into adolescence is a time of tremendous social and emotional change This article contends that adolescence is also a time when youths must make difficult decisions about whether to engage in alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use. After reviewing both literature concerning ATOD use by younger and older adolescents and literature that reviews the role of peer pressure in adolescent ATOD use, the authors describe three attitudes that are argued to be predictors of ATOD use: resistance self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, and perceived harm factors. Both gender and age differences as influencing ATOD use are also discussed. Following a presentation of the hypothesis that peer ATOD usage will be strongly associated with use for all ages, all genders, and all substances, the authors describe the self reported alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use of 432 adolescents, broken down as 213 seventh and eight graders and 219 college students. Logistic regressions of survey results indicated that ATOD use was strongly related to peers’ substance use and abuse for both ages groups, both genders, and all substances. Furthermore, the authors found that perceived harm was not significantly related to ATOD use for either group, but that outcome expectancies and resistance self-efficacy were related to use depending on age, gender, and the substance. Tables, references