CORRELATES OF DRUG USE AMONG MEXICAN-AMERICAN YOUTH

这是一项关于社会、心理和文化相关因素的研究 墨西哥裔美国年轻人的吸毒情况 三大 在美国的西班牙裔群体中，墨西哥裔美国人是 规模最大，增长最快。 未来几年，预测 表明墨西哥裔美国人将成为一个主要经济体， 政治和社会力量。 他们很快就会占到 西方人口。 西方国家和 国家可以在很大程度上依赖的力量和贡献， 这个团体。 吸毒会削弱这种力量。 一半的墨西哥人- 美国人都在22岁以下，由于吸毒几乎总是开始 在青春期，很大一部分人口仍然处于 风险 还有其他因素也表明高风险，包括 经济问题，偏见，最重要的是， 教育 墨西哥裔美国年轻人有很高的 辍学。 一些因素，如强烈的宗教和家庭 价值观，也可以反对吸毒，并可能是资产， 可用于预防和治疗。 的第一步 为墨西哥人规划预防和干预方案- 然而，美国青年正在决定什么样的特征是 与药物使用有关，以及它们如何相互关联。 这 这项研究将建立社会和 墨西哥裔美国人的心理特征与毒品使用 青年，并确定这些联系是否存在差异 墨西哥裔美国青年和盎格鲁青年之间的关系 同样的社区。 性别差异和年龄差异将 也要检查。 与药物使用相关的措施包括： 评估文化认同，家庭社会经济地位， 家庭的完整性，家庭关系，家庭制裁， 宗教认同，学校适应，自信， 被社会接受的感觉，害羞，抑郁，焦虑， 愤怒，相信毒品的危险，容忍越轨行为，越轨 行为和同伴毒品协会。 影响到 将考虑预防、治疗和未来的研究。

This is a study of the social, psychological, and cultural correlates of drug use of Mexican-American youth. Of the three major Hispanic groups in the United States, Mexican-Americans are the largest and the fastest growing. In coming years, projections show that Mexican-Americans will emerge as a major economic, political, and social force. They will soon make up more than half of the western population. The well-being of the west and of the nation could depend heavily on the strength and contribution of this group. Drug use could sap this strength. Half of Mexican- Americans are under 22, and since drug use almost always starts in adolescence, a very large part of the population are still at risk. There are other factors that also suggest high risk, including economic problems, prejudice, and most of all, problems in education. Mexican-American youth have very high rates of school dropout. Some factors, such as strong religious and family values, could also work against drug use, and could be assets that could be used in prevention and treatment. The first step in planning prevention and intervention programs for Mexican- American youth, however, is determining what characteristics are associated with drug use and how they are interrelated. This study will establish the correlational links between social and psychological characteristics and drug use in Mexican-American youth, and determine whether there are differences in these links between Mexican-American youth and Anglo youth living in the same communities. Gender differences and age differences will also be examined. The drug use correlates include measures to assess cultural identification, family socioeconomic status, intactness of family, family relationships, family sanctions, religious identification, school adjustment, self-confidence, feelings of being socially accepted, shyness, depression, anxiety, anger, belief in drug dangers, tolerance of deviance, deviant behaviors, and peer drug associations. Implications for prevention, treatment, and future research will be considered.