Teenage Substance Abuse Part 2: Possible Reasons Why Teenagers Abuse Substances
by Connie Limon
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Family Drug Usage Patterns
When family members use substances the chance for teenagers using substances increases. Teenage substance users often report their parents use drugs and denial to cope with stress. As a result, the teenager of a drug using family tends to become chemically addicted. Sibling substance use is significantly related to teenage substance use. Teenagers with siblings who do not use drugs are less likely to be users (Denton and Kampfe, Summer1994).
Family Environment
Parental absence due to break-ups, death, or divorce increases the chances that children and teenagers will abuse substances. Family interactions such as involvement in family activities, communication and appropriate discipline all play a role in whether or not a teenager will abuse substances. Positive child-parent association is extremely important to the development of strong self-concept and contributes to the prevention of teenage substance abuse (Denton and Kampfe, Summer 1994).
Parents who are authoritative in leadership seem to raise children who avoid substance abuse as well as much other misbehavior. Researchers find authoritative parents usually monitor whereabouts of their children and who they associate with (Denton and Kampfe, Summer1994).
There is research that reveals parents with drug-abusing teenagers view parenting as a job requiring suffering and sacrifice and perceives changing their teenager’s behavior as impossible (Denton and Kampfe, Summer 1994).
Parental Monitoring and Peer Influences
One study examined the joint influences of parent monitoring and peer influence on teenage substance use over time. The results of this study were: (1) Parental monitoring was negatively associated with substance abuse. High levels of parental monitoring; knowing where children are and what they are doing generally resulted in more protection from a variety of misbehaviors that included substance abuse. (2) The more involved a teenager’s peers were in substance use, the more likely he or she would also use drugs (Steinberg and Fletcher, June 1994).
Antisocial Personality, Conduct Disorder and Teenage Substance Abuse
Studies reveal antisocial behavior is predictive of teenage and adult involvement in substance abuse. A conduct disorder during the teenage years is a strong indicator for the antisocial personality disorder diagnosis and psychoactive substance abuse in adulthood (Apgar, October 15, 1998).
Risk Factors for Adolescent Substance Abuse
A research-based foundation for discussion of the relationships between substance use disorders and learning disabilities reviewed briefly individual risk factors for teenagers becoming substance use abusers (Weinberg, Naimah Z., Jul/Aug2001).
A large body of literature support that a family history of substance use plays a significant role in teenage substance abuse. Some of this risk may even be genetic. The genetic risk has been demonstrated in adoption studies. Studies revealed offspring of biologic parents with alcoholism were more likely to develop a substance abuse disorder despite separation from their biological parents at birth (Weinberg, Jul/Aug2001).
Prenatal substance exposure is beginning to emerge, at least to alcohol, as a risk factor for teenage substance abuse disorders (Weinberg, Jul/Aug2001).
Continued in Part 3
Source: Denton, R., & Kampfe, C. (1994, Summer). The relationship between family variables and adolescent substance abuse: A literature review. Adolescence, 29(114), 475. Retrieved June 9, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database; Steinberg, L., & Fletcher, A. (1994, June). Parental monitoring and peer influences on adolescent substance us. Pediatrics 93(6), 1060. Retrieved June 9, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database; Weinberg, N. (2001, July). Risk Factors for Adolescent Substance Abuse. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 34(4), 343,. Retrieved June 9, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database.
Author's Bio
Written by: Connie Limon Visit smalldogs2.com/AboutHumanServices for more information about the career of human service specialists. For a variety of FREE reprint articles visit www.camelotarticles.com