The potential protective effect of youth assets on adolescent alcohol and drug use.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the association between adolescent alcohol and drug use and 9 youth assets in a low-income, inner-city population.


METHODS
An in-person survey of 1350 adolescents and parents assessed youth assets and risk behaviors. We analyzed data with chi(2) tests and logistic regression analyses.


RESULTS
When we controlled for appropriate variables, there were significant positive relationships between several youth assets and nonuse of alcohol and drugs. Furthermore, youths who possessed all of the statistically significant youth assets were 4.44 times more likely to report nonuse of alcohol and 5.41 times more likely to report nonuse of drugs compared with youths who possessed fewer youth assets.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study supports the view that specific youth assets may protect youths from alcohol and drug use.
Department of Health Promotion Sciences, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, PO Box 26901, CHB Room 369, Oklahoma City, OK 73190, USA. roy-oman@ouhsc.edu
Roy F
RF
Oman
Sara
S
Vesely
Cheryl B
CB
Aspy
Kenneth R
KR
McLeroy
Sharon
S
Rodine
LaDonna
L
Marshall
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003142:Communication; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data