NCJ Number
206619
Journal
Journal of Drug Education Volume: 33 Issue: 4 Dated: 2003 Pages: 369-390
Date Published
2003
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationship of substance use, self-esteem, and depression among Asian American adolescents.
Abstract
The growth of the Asian American population in the United States over the past two decades necessitates research on alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use that is attentive to specific subgroups of Asian American youth. This study examined the connection between psychological constructs and ATOD use for Asian American adolescents. This connection was tested in a California State-wide sample of more than 4,300 Asian American high school students comprising 5 subgroups: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Vietnamese. Prevalence rates of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use among males and females from these Asian American subgroups are reported within the study. Correlations revealed that cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use were generally more related to high depression and low self-esteem in females than in males. Logistic regression analysis with only female subjects investigated whether the relationship between the psychological variables and ATOD use was maintained even after controlling for traditionally important constructs in ATOD use. However, it is important to consider the population from which this sample was derived in projecting generalizations of these results. It may be that factors related to a tendency to live in and attend school in ethnic enclave areas contribute to a propensity for either depressed mood, substance use, and experimentation, or both. The study was designed to explore the diversity of Asian American teens’ self-reported drug use behavior. The results show that Asian Americans are not a homogeneous group when it comes to drug use. This study demonstrated the importance of being mindful of this diversity when designing future scientific research and programs targeting youth. Tables, references