Examines the importance of peer influence and personal attitudes in relation to self-reported use of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana for 213 younger adolescents and 219 older adolescents. Friends' use was significantly related to substance use for both age groups, both sexes, and all substances examined. Resistance self- efficacy was…

Study tests two models to compare the effects of risk and resiliency across gender and ethnicity. Results support the model in which risk and resiliency are discrete sets of factors and demonstrate that overall resiliency factors play a larger role than risk factors in substance use and drug resistance processes. Gender proved to be an important…

Examines the relationship between gender and drug use among adolescents using diagnostic assessments and biochemical analyses of urine samples. Statistical significance was found in the relationship between gender and marijuana use. The study confirms that more research is needed in this area. (Author/MKA)

Examines the extent to which assertiveness and related social skills, personal competence, and refusal efficacy predict alcohol involvement in adolescents. Males were at higher risk for poor refusal skills and reported higher alcohol involvement. Youth characterized by poor social skill development reported lower refusal efficacy, lower grades,…

Examines drug use and eating behaviors of northern Nevadan adolescents (N=401). Results indicate that high-risk users less frequently ate lunch, meals at home, or with their family and ate more often at convenience stores, fast food restaurants, or with their friends. Gender differences are examined. Implications for prevention programming and…

Patient records (N=667) were reviewed from an eighteen-month period of a private hospital adult addictive disease unit. Thirty-eight percent of admissions were from rural areas; males had a longer duration of use; African-American patients were overrepresented; a larger percentage of males had legal problems; and those from rural areas were more…

Compares college student attitude ratings and recall scores of various advertisements. Results reveal that the rating and recall scores of alcohol advertisements were significantly higher than those for cigarette advertisements and were among the highest of all the advertisements. Sex differences are examined. Results indicate that college…

Explores the attitudes of adolescents (N=2,186) of four religions in the north of Israel toward eight alcohol measures. Findings indicate that the majority of the respondents tend to enhance alcohol control measures and driving issues, but only about a third tend to enhance alcohol control measures in the other domains. (Author/MKA)

Examines differences between 4th-6th grade children of alcoholics (COAs) and non-COAs on measures of internalized shame, self-esteem, perceived support, and teacher behavior ratings. No significant differences were found on measures of social support and shame; however self-esteem and teacher ratings for COAs were significantly lower. Gender…

Data pertaining to the reputations, self-concepts, and coping strategies of secondary-school Volatile Solvent Users (VSUs; n=31), ex-VSUs (n=44), and non-VSUs (n=48) in Western Australia were obtained. Findings reveal that differences between the groups were more attributable to reputation enhancement than to self-concept or coping strategies.…

Investigates group differences in the relationship between stress-coping variables and substance use with urban middle school students. African-American adolescents had the lowest rate of substance use, Hispanics were intermediate, and Whites had the highest rate. The strength of predictive relationships for stress-coping variables was lower for…

Compares three categories of staff at substance-abuse treatment facilities: recovering, nonrecovering, and having recovering or addicted family members. More staff with addicted or recovering family members were female, were similar to nonrecovering staff in their treatment approach, and fell between the other two groups on measures of roles…

Examines whether those who participated in high school athletics have a different pattern of marijuana use than comparable nonathletes. Male athletes have a higher incidence of marijuana use than nonathletes. The opposite is true for female athletes who are more likely than nonathletes to try marijuana after high school. (MKA)

Investigates familial alcoholism effects and the comparative probability of risk that adult children of alcoholics have for alcohol dependence. Results, based on a national survey of 12,686 young adults over a five-year period, show that the risk for alcoholism is relatively greater for males than females. (MKA)

Examines the relative influence of family, school, peer influences, perceived student substance abuse, family substance abuse, and acculturation on Mexican-American early adolescents (N=413). Results show that family functioning and family use directly influence males, whereas family use and student use directly influence females. Family…