Psychosocial mediators of the impact of acculturation on adolescent substance abuse.
To identify and evaluate socio-psychological factors that are associated with differences in substance abuse prevalence between non-acculturated and acculturated Florida youth, we employed t-test and logistic regression to analyze self-reported data from 63,000 middle and high school student participants in the 2004 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey. Questionnaire items covered socio-demographics, tobacco, alcohol, and illicit substance use; and perceptions and attitudes toward drug use. The outcome variables were past 30 day use of "any illicit drug." The key independent variable was language used at home (English/Another language). The covariates were 32 socio-psychological factors that are considered risk and protective factors for adolescent drug abuse. Findings support the growing body of evidence suggesting that acculturation status is a strong predictor of substance use among adolescents. This effect may be mediated principally through the family and peer/individual psychosocial domains. The findings may have important implications for the design and implementation of drug prevention programs targeting teenagers.
Saint-Jean
Gilbert
G
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami School of Medicine, 1120 N.W. 14 Street Room 1061, Locator # D-93, Miami, FL 33136, USA. GSaint@med.miami.edu
Martinez
Carlos A
CA
Crandall
Lee A
LA
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D000367:Age Factors; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011584:Psychology; D012067:Religion; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*