The Epidemiology of Substance Use Among Middle School Students: The Impact of School, Familial, Community and Individual Risk Factors

Abstract

This paper examines the correlates of substance use among New Jersey Middle School students, using a representative sample. It employs an epidemiological perspective in which an individual's risk of using cigarettes, alcohol and drugs is predicted to increase in relation to the amount of vulnerability and/or risk an individual faces. Results support the multiple effects of community, school, family, individual, peer and background factors on substance use. Results show that family history of substance abuse treatment is a strong and consistent predictor of current substance use. Abilities of families to institute clear rules against alcohol and drug use have stronger inhabiting effects on substance use than do characteristics of family structure or family conflict. Academic failure and peer use of substances show the strongest and largest effects on current substance use. There are no observed sex differences in smoking or alcohol use but sex differences in drug use persist when all the risk factors were controlled for. The effects of the risk factors on substance use differ by the type of substance being used.