Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Association of Contextual Factors with Drug Use and Binge Drinking among White, Native American, and Mixed-Race Adolescents in the General Population

  • Empirical Research
  • Published:
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Large-scale surveys have shown elevated risk for many indicators of substance abuse among Native American and Mixed-Race adolescents compared to other minority groups in the United States. This study examined underlying contextual factors associated with substance abuse among a nationally representative sample of White, Native American, and Mixed-Race adolescents 12–17 years of age, using combined datasets from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH 2006–2009, N = 46,675, 48.77 % female). Native American adolescents displayed the highest rate of past-month binge drinking and past-year illicit drug use (14.06 and 30.91 %, respectively). Results of a logistic regression that included seven predictors of social bonding, individual views of substance use, and delinquent peer affiliations showed that friendships with delinquent peers and negative views of substance use were associated significantly with both substance abuse outcomes among White and Mixed-Race adolescents and, to a lesser extent, Native American adolescents. The association of parental disapproval with binge drinking was stronger for White than for Native American adolescents. Greater attention to specific measures reflecting racial groups’ contextual and historical differences may be needed to delineate mechanisms that discourage substance abuse among at-risk minority adolescent populations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arthur, M. W., Hawkins, J. D., Pollard, J. A., Catalano, R. F., & Baglioni, A. J. (2002). Measuring risk and protective factors for substance use, delinquency, and other adolescent problem behaviors: The communities that care youth survey. Evaluation Review, 26(6), 575–601.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1986). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NY: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brook, J. E., & Brook, J. S. (2001). A developmental approach examining social and personal correlates in relation to alcohol use over time. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 149(1), 93–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Center for Substance Abuse Prevention National Outcome Measures. (2012). Youth Programs Survey Form. http://www.evaluatod.org/resources/SPFSIGEvaluationMaterials/ CrossSiteEvaluation/PLI %20youth %20program %20survey %20OMB %20Approved.pdf. Accessed 15 May 2012.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008). Alcohol-attributable deaths and years of potential life lost Among American Indians and Alaska Natives-United States, 2001—2005. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 57, 938–941. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5734a3.htm. Accessed 15 May 2012.

  • Cheng, S., & Klugman, J. (2010). School racial composition and biracial adolescents’ school attachment posted in articles, identity development/psychology, new media, social science, school racial composition and biracial adolescents’ school attachment. Sociological Quarterly, 51(1), 150–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choi, Y., Harachi, T. W., Gillmore, M. R., & Catalano, R. F. (2005). Applicability of the social development model to urban ethnic minority youth: Examine the relationship between external constraints, family, socialization, and problem behaviors. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 15(4), 505–534.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Choi, Y., Harachi, T. W., Gillmore, M. R., & Catalano, R. F. (2006). Are multiracial adolescents at greater risk? Comparisons of rates, patterns, and correlates of substance use and violence between monoracial and multiracial adolescents. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76, 86–97.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Choi, Y., He, M., Herrenkohl, T. I., Catalano, R. F., & Toumbourou, J. W. (2012). Multiple identification and risks: Examination of peer factors across multiracial and single-race youth. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 41(7), 847–862. doi:10.1007/s10964-012-9750-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clapp, J. D., & Shillington, A. M. (2001). Environmental predictors of heavy episodic drinking events. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 27, 310–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delaronde, S., Cook, M. J., Ungemack, J. A., & Stanger, B. (1999). 1997 Connecticut substance abuse prevention student survey: Educational reference groups c-e. Farmington, Connecticut: Department of Community Medicine & Health Care, University of Connecticut Health Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doyle, J. M., & Kao, G. (2007). Are racial identities of multiracial stable? Changing self-identification among single and multiple race individuals. Social Psychology Quarterly, 70(4), 405–423.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ellingsen, T. (2000). Colorful community or ethnic witches’ brew? Multiethnicity and domestic conflict during and after the cold war. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 44(2), 228–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Falk, D., Yi, H.-y., & Hiller-Sturmhöfel, S. (2008). An epidemiologic analysis of co-occurring alcohol and drug use and disorders: From the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Alcohol Research and Health, 31(2), 100–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Floyd, L. J., Alexandre, P. K., Hedden, S. L., Lawson, A. L., & Latimer, W. W. (2010). Adolescent drug dealing and race/ethnicity: A population-based study of the differential impact of substance use on involvement in drug trade. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 36(2), 87–91.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Galliher, R. V., Evans, C. M., & Weiser, D. (2007). Social and individual predictors of substance use for Native American youth. Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse, 16(3), 2–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, L., & Shoemaker, D. J. (1989). Social bonding and delinquency: A comparative analysis. The Sociological Quarterly, 30(3), 481–500.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gfroerer, J., Bose, J., Painter, D., Jones, M., & Kennet, J. (2012). Redesigning the national survey on drug use and health. http://www.fcsm.gov/09papers/Gfroerer_X-B.doc. Accessed 15 April 2012.

  • Gibbons, F., & Gerrard, M. (1995). Predicting young adults’ health risk behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(3), 505–517.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grucza, R. A., Norberg, K. E., & Bierut, L. J. (2009). Binge drinking among youth and young adults in the United States: 1979–2006. Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 48(7), 692–702.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanley, J. A., & McNeil, B. J. (1982). The meaning and use of the area under a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Radiology, 143, 29–36.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, R. S. (2006).Item dictionary for the 2006 sample bach harrison youth survey. http://www.bach-arrison.com/BhResources/PNA/Sample_PNA_Item_Dictionary05_Bach _Harrison_LLC.pdf. Accessed 15 May 2012.

  • Hawkins, J. D., Catalano, R. F., & Miller, J. Y. (1992). Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: Implications for substance abuse prevention. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 64–105.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, E. H., Cummins, L. H., & Marlatt, G. A. (2004). Preventing substance abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native youth: Promising strategies for healthier communities. Psychological Bulletin, 130(2), 304–323.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • HeavyRunner-Rioux, A. R., & Hollist, D. R. (2010). Community, family, and peer influences on alcohol, marijuana, and illicit drug use among a sample of Native American youth: An Analysis of predictive factors. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 9, 260–283.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Herman-Stahl, M. A., Krebs, C. P., Kroutil, L. A., & Heller, D. C. (2006). Risk and protective factors for nonmedical use of prescription stimulants and methamphetamine among adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 39, 374–380.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, D. L. (2006). Sense of belong as connectedness, American Indian worldview and mental health. Achieves of Psychiatric Nursing, 20(5), 210–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirschi, T. (1969). Causes of delinquency. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, K. F., & Lecroy, C. W. (2009). The influence of race and ethnicity on substance use and negative activity involvement among monoracial and multiracial adolescents of the southwest. Journal of Drug Education, 39(2), 195–210.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, L. D., O’Malley, P. M., Schulenberg, J. E., & Bachman, J. G. (2006). The aims and objectives of the Monitoring the Future study and progress toward fulfilling them as of 2006 (Monitoring the Future Occasional Paper No. 65). Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research.

  • Lee, C. M., Lewis, M. A., & Neighbors, C. (2009). Preliminary examination of spring break alcohol use and related consequences. Psychology of Addictive Behavior, 23(4), 689–694.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leung, K. S., Ben Abdallah, A., Copeland, J., & Cottler, L. B (2010) Modifiable risk factors of ecstasy use: Risk perception, current dependence, perceived control, and depression. Addictive Behaviors, 35 (3), 201–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lou, E., Lalonde, R. N., & Wilson, C. (2011). Examining a multidimensional framework of racial identity across different biracial groups. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 2(2), 79–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martino, S. C., Collins, R. L., Eillickson, P. L., Schell, T. L., & McCaffrey, D. (2006). Socio-environmental influences on adolescents’ alcohol outcome expectancies: A prospective analysis. Addiction, 101, 971–983.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martins, S. S., Garlson, R. G., Alexandre, R. S., & Falck, R. S. (2011). Perceived risk and associated with ecstasy use: A latent class analysis approach. Addictive Behaviors, 36, 551–554.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McDowell, T., Ingoglia, L., Serizawa, T., Holland, C., Dashiell, J. W., Jr, & Stevens, C. (2005). Raising multiracial awareness in family therapy through critical conversations. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 31(4), 399–411.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McFadden, J. (2001). Intercultural marriage and family: Beyond the racial divide. The Family Journal, 9(1), 39–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, J. W., Naimi, T. S., Brewer, R. D., & Jones, S. E. (2007). Binge drinking and associated health risk behaviors among high school students. Pediatrics, 119, 76–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • National Institute Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2012). Model 1: Epidemiology of alcohol problems in the United States. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/Social/Module1 Epidemiology/Module1.html. Accessed 26 April 2012.

  • National Survey on Drug Use and Health Highlights. (2009). White house fact sheet. Office of National drug control policy. Executive office of the president. http://www.WhiteHouseDrugPolicy.gov. Accessed 4 May 2012.

  • Oregon Healthy Teens 2008—8th Grade: State Summary Results. (2008). http://public.health. oregon.gov/BirthDeathCertificates/Surveys/OregonHealthyTeens/results/2008/8/Documents/education8.pdf. Accessed 14 May 2012.

  • Park, R. E. (1967). On social control and collective behavior. Chicago: University of Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parra, G. R., Krull, J. L., Sher, K. J., & Jackson, K. M. (2007). Frequency of heavy drinking and perceived peer alcohol involvement: Comparison of influence and selection mechanisms from a developmental perspective. Addictive Behaviors, 32, 2211–2225.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paternoster, R., Brame, R., Mazerolle, P., & Piquero, A. (1998). Using the correct statistical test for the equality of regression coefficients. Criminology, 36(4), 859–865.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Payne, A. A. (2008). A multilevel analyses of the relationships among communal school organization, student bonding, and delinquency. Journal of Research in Crime, 45(4), 429–455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pedrotti, J. T., Edwards, L. M., & Lopez, S. J. (2008). Working with multiracial clients in therapy: Bridging theory, research, and practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 39(2), 192–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pemberton, M. R., Colliver, J. D., Robbins, T. M., & Gfroerer, J. C. (2012).Underage alcohol use: Findings from the 2002–2006 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. http://www.samhsa.gov/data/underage2k8/underage.pdf. Accessed 4 May 2012.

  • Price, R. K., Risk, N. K., Wong, M. W., & Klingle, R. S. (2002). Substance use and abuse in Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs): Preliminary results from four national epidemiologic studies. Public Health Reports, 117, S39–S50.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robbin, A. (2000). Classifying racial and ethnic group data in the United States: The politics of negotiation and accommodation. Journal of Government Information, 27, 129–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAMHSA. (2008). Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. http://www.samhsa.gov/data/nsduh/2k8nsduh/2k8Results.pdf. Accessed 4 May 2012.

  • SAMHSA. (2009). National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2009 Codebook. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA.

    Google Scholar 

  • SAMHSA. (2010). Reliability of key measures in the national survey on drug use and health. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA.

    Google Scholar 

  • SAMHSA. (2011a). Table 1.20B—Illicit Drug use in lifetime, past year, and past month among persons aged 12 to 17, by demographic characteristics: Percentages, 2008 and 2009. http://oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k9NSDUH/tabs/Sect1peTabs1to46.htm# Tab 1.11A. Accessed 10 November 2011.

  • SAMHSA. (2011b). Table 2.38B—Alcohol use in lifetime, past year, and past month among persons aged 12 to 17, by demographic characteristics: Percentages, 2008 and 2009. http://oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k9NSDUH/tabs/Sect2peTabs1to42.htm# Tab 2.37A. Accessed 10 November 2011.

  • Seale, J. P., Shellenberger, S., Sanchez, N., Vogel, R. L., Villalobos, E., Girton, F. S., et al. (2010). Characteristics of problem drinking in an urban South American indigenous population. Substance Use and Misuse, 45(13), 2185–2202.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMHSA 2007) The NSDUH report: Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders among American Indians and Alaska Natives. 1 November 2011.

  • Terry, R. L., & Winston, C. E. (2010). Personality characteristic adaptations: Multiracial adolescents’ patterns of racial self-identification change. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 20(2), 432–455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Udry, J. R., Li, R. M., & Hendrickson-Smith, J. (2003). Health and behavior risks of adolescents with mixed-race identity. American Journal of Public Health, 93(11), 1865–1870.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Unger, J. B., Palmer, P. H., Dent, C. W., Rohrbach, L. A., & Johnson, C. A. (2000). Ethnic differences in adolescent smoking prevalence in California: Are multi-ethnic youths at higher risk? Tobacco Control, 9 (Suppl II), ii9–ii14.

  • Walls, M. L., Whitbeck, L. B., & Hoyt, D. R. (2007). Early-onset alcohol use among Native American youth: Examining female caretaker influence. Journal of Marriage and Family, 69, 451–464.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, H., Dowdall, G. W., Davenport, A., & Castillo, S. (1995). Correlates of colleges student binge drinking. American Journal of Public Health, 85(7), 921–926.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, H., Lee, J. E., Kuo, M., Seibring, M., Nelson, T. F., & Lee, H. (2002). Trends in college binge drinking during a period of increased prevention efforts: Finding from 4 Harvard school of public health college alcohol study surveys: 1993–2001. Journal of American College Health, 50(5), 203–217.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, H., & Nelson, T. F. (2008). What we have learned from the Harvard school of public health college alcohol study: Focusing attention on college student alcohol consumption and the environmental conditions that promote it. Journal of Studies of Alcohol and Drugs, 69(4), 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu, L. T., Woody, G. E., Yang, C., Pan, J.-J., & Blazer, D. G. (2011). Racial/Ethnic variations in substance-related disorders among adolescents in the United States. Archives of General Psychiatry, 68(11), 1176–1185.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Xu, J, Kochanek K. D., Murphy S. L., & Tejada-Vera B. (2010). Deaths: Final data for 2007. Hyattsville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, National Center for Health Statistics. National Vital Statistics Reports, 58 (19), 1–135. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr58/nvsr58_19.pdf. Accessed 9 November 2011.

  • Young, R., & Joe, J. R. (2009). Some thoughts about the epidemiology of alcohol and drug use among American Indian/Alaska Native populations. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 8, 223–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan, N. P., Eaves, E. R., Koss, M. P., Polacca, M., Bletzer, K., & Goldman, D. (2010). Alcohol is something that been with us like a common cold: Community perceptions of American Indian drinking. Substance Use Misuse, 45(12), 1909–1929.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Drs. Michael W. Arthur and Ralph E. Folsom, Ms. Angelique Zeringue, and SAMHSA’s Jonaki Bose and Dr. Rachel N. Lipari for their assistance in obtaining the survey data files, measurement information, and feedback on early data analysis. Preparation of this article was supported by NIDA research and training grants (R01DA020922, T32DA007313) to the last author.

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Work, Fu-Jen Catholic University, No. 510, Zhongzheng Rd., Xinzhuang Dist., New Taipei City, 24205, Taiwan

    Hsing-Jung Chen

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, 660 S. Euclid Ave., Campus Box 8134, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Sundari Balan & Rumi Kato Price

Authors
  1. Hsing-Jung Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sundari Balan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rumi Kato Price
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hsing-Jung Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, HJ., Balan, S. & Price, R.K. Association of Contextual Factors with Drug Use and Binge Drinking among White, Native American, and Mixed-Race Adolescents in the General Population. J Youth Adolescence 41, 1426–1441 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9789-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9789-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation