DRUG USE--GENERATIONAL TRANSMISSION IN MINORITY YOUTH

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The purpose of this project is to study the transmission across three generations of the childhood precursors of drug use/drug abuse. This longitudinal study began in 1990 (T1) when first generation (G1) mothers and second generation (G2) adolescents were assessed. Data were obtained on cultural and family context, parent child-rearing, and personality/behavioral variables. Five years later (T2), the G2 adolescents were reassessed. At the T2 data collection, the original T1 measures were repeated, and additional data were gathered from both mother and child on cultural influences, personality/behavior, parent- child relations, peer drug use and self drug use. The T1-T2 data established that adolescent factors do influence later drug use; we now propose to further investigate these influences by studying the G3 offspring of the G2 original study adolescents. The G3 child will be evaluated at age 7-12 in terms of childhood precursors of later drug use/drug abuse. We will then trace the intra- and intergenerational pathways (T1-T3) to determine how drug-prone characteristics are transmitted. The hypothesized pathway, based on our Family Interactional Model, is that cultural factors and parent personality risk characteristics (e.g. unconventionality, poor control of emotions) lead to parent-child mutual detachment (e.g., less warmth, more conflict). This then leads to the development in the child of risks for drug use/drug abuse. We hypothesize that this pathway, already shown in the G1 parent and G2 child, will be repeated for the G2 child (now a parent) and his/her offspring. Also of interest is our examination of risk (drug-conducive) and protective (nondrug-conducive) intra- and intergenerational interactions as they affect G3 child outcome. The sample size for the study is 325 7-12-year-olds and their parents. T3 data will be collected using self-report. The analytic techniques will include structural equation and hierarchical regression. The significance of the study lies in its delineation of generational factors implicated in the development of childhood precursors of drug use/drug abuse. (By focusing on ways to improve the psychosocial environment of the young child at risk, one can not only lesser the likelihood of later drug use, but also effect changes that "break the chain" of generational risk transmission.)