Predictors and Concomitants of Changes in Drug Use Patterns among Teenagers

The results indicate that number of friends using drugs and quality of relationships with parents were most frequently related to drug use patterns, and level of moral reasoning was found to be independent ofdrug use patterns.

Abstract

Abstract A longitudinal study on drug usage was conducted to examine the differences among teenagers who were stable nonusers, decreased to nonuse, decreased to alcohol and marijuana use only, increased to drug use, and were stable users. Three surveys given to the sample of 123 adolescents over a two-year period included measures of drug use, perceived drug use of friends, relationships with mother and father, self-esteem, attitudes toward social interdependence, and level of moral reasoning. The results indicate that number of friends using drugs and quality of relationships with parents were most frequently related to drug use patterns. Attitudes toward social interdependence and self-esteem were somewhat related to pattern of drug use. Level of moral reasoning was found to be independent of drug use patterns.