NCJ Number
180557
Journal
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Volume: 51 Dated: 1998 Pages: 229-237
Date Published
1998
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This retrospective study investigated relationships among early family circumstances, peer associations, and narcotic addiction in a sample of 601 urban males.
Abstract
Poor parental and family functioning and association with deviant peers are among the most consistently documented factors that contribute to the development of narcotic addiction and other serious deviance. In attempting to further document this association, this study involved self-reports of three groups of urban males: narcotic addicts and two distinctly different groups of never-addicted, matched controls. One control group, peer controls, was drawn from lists of associates at age 11 supplied by the addicts. Another control group, community controls, was independently drawn from residents of the addicts' neighborhood at age 11. To be eligible for study, addicts had to be under 40 years old and at least 12 years old at the onset of narcotic addiction. A total of 601 adult male subjects (255 narcotic addicts, 147 peer controls, and 199 community controls) were recruited and interviewed for the study from July 1986 to April 1991. The results of logistic regression analyses show that the extent of deviant behavior among close friends at ages 12-14 and disruption in family structure (parental divorce/separation) prior to age 11 were significantly associated with narcotic addiction. Additional regression analyses show that deviant behavior among family members, as well as family disruption experienced prior to age 11 also increased the probability of association with deviant peers and a negative home atmosphere at ages 12-14. Implications of these findings for preventive interventions and for future research are presented. 1 table and 54 references