title: The role of life events, family support, and competence in adolescent substance use: a test of vulnerability and protective factors.
abstract: Tested propositions from a model of vulnerability and protective factors with a multiethnic sample of 1,289 urban adolescents, aged 11-13 years. The criterion variable was a composite score for cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use. Multiple regression analyses indicated that vulnerability factors (negative life events, negative affect) were related to a higher level of substance use, and protective factors (parent emotional and instrumental support, academic and adult competence, positive affect) were related to a lower level of substance use; peer competence was positively related to substance use in a multivariate model. There was a significant overall interaction of Vulnerability x Protective Factors, consistent with a stress-buffering effect. Individual interactions for Life Events x Family Support, Life Events x Competence, and Negative x Positive Affect also were consistent with buffering effects. Implications for theories of substance use and primary prevention are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Wills
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vaccaro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McNamara
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000339:Affect; D002648:Child; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015995:Prevalence; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology