Alcohol and other drug use among adolescents: Family and peer influences

It was found that older subjects reported greater substance use than younger subjects, whites report greater use of alcohol and other drugs than blacks, boys reported greater use than girls, and less involvement in family activities and greater involvement in peer activities was associated with greater reported alcohol andother drug use.

Abstract

The relationships among age, gender, involvement in family activities, involvement in peer activities, and teenage alcohol and other drug use were examined. Data from a random sample of South Carolina public school 7th through 12th graders were analyzed. Consistent with previous research, it was found that older subjects reported greater substance use than younger subjects, whites reported greater use of alcohol and other drugs than blacks, boys reported greater use than girls, and less involvement in family activities and greater involvement in peer activities was associated with greater reported alcohol and other drug use. Interactions among these variables also were examined. Multiple regressions indicated that 74% of the variance in alcohol use, 80% of the variance in marijuana use, and 85% of the variance in use of other drugs were predicted by these variables.