title: Exploring racial/ethnic differences in substance use: a preliminary theory-based investigation with juvenile justice-involved youth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Racial/ethnic differences in representation, substance use, and its correlates may be linked to differential long-term health outcomes for justice-involved youth. Determining the nature of these differences is critical to informing more efficacious health prevention and intervention efforts. In this study, we employed a theory-based approach to evaluate the nature of these potential differences. Specifically, we hypothesized that (1) racial/ethnic minority youth would be comparatively overrepresented in the juvenile justice system, (2) the rates of substance use would be different across racial/ethnic groups, and (3) individual-level risk factors would be better predictors of substance use for Caucasian youth than for youth of other racial/ethnic groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  To evaluate these hypotheses, we recruited a large, diverse sample of justice-involved youth in the southwest (N = 651; M age = 15.7, SD = 1.05, range = 14-18 years); 66% male; 41% Hispanic, 24% African American, 15% Caucasian, 11% American Indian/Alaska Native). All youth were queried about their substance use behavior (alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, illicit hard drug use) and individual-level risk factors (school involvement, employment, self-esteem, level of externalizing behaviors).
  
  
  RESULTS
  As predicted, racial/ethnic minority youth were significantly overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. Additionally, Caucasian youth reported the greatest rates of substance use and substance-related individual-level risk factors. In contrast, African American youth showed the lowest rates for substance use and individual risk factors. Contrary to predictions, a racial/ethnic group by risk factor finding emerged for only one risk factor and one substance use category.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This research highlights the importance of more closely examining racial/ethnic differences in justice populations, as there are likely to be differing health needs, and subsequent treatment approaches, by racial/ethnic group for justice-involved youth. Additionally, this study highlights the need for timely, empirically supported (developmentally and cross-culturally) substance abuse interventions for all justice-involved youth.
authors.affiliation: The Mind Research Network, Pete & Nancy Domenici Hall, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA. sfeldstein@mrn.org
authors.forename: Sarah W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Feldstein Ewing
authors.forename: Kamilla L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Venner
authors.forename: Hilary K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Mead
authors.forename: Angela D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Bryan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D015206:Southwestern United States; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*