Community-Based Correlates of Adolescent Substance Use

描述：(申请人提供) 目前的研究结果表明，基于社区的生态变量，如 暴露于社区暴力可能是心理困扰的危险因素 在非裔美国人中使用青少年药物。调查结果还可能 表明积极的种族认同可能会缓和暴露的影响。 通过充当防止或拖延的保护因素来防止或拖延社区暴力 物质使用。这项相互关联的小组内部调查研究旨在 审查暴露在社区暴力和种族认同中的影响 非洲单一横断面样本中物质使用情况的研究进展 14-18岁的美国青年。该调查将包括一系列 评估直接(受害者)和间接(证人)的自我报告措施 暴露于社区暴力(频率、严重程度和范围)、种族 认同感发展、心理功能(抑郁、绝望、 控制点)和物质使用(使用意图、开始年龄、水平 使用烟草、酒精和非法药物)。预计接触到的是 社区暴力将与较差的心理功能相关联 (例如，抑郁、绝望和无能为力/控制点)更大 青少年使用酒精、烟草和/或非法药物的意向 不使用酒精、烟草和非法药物，以及更早的入会年龄和 在已开始吸毒的青少年中，物质使用水平较高。 预计还将与更高水平的种族认同相关 使用物质的意向水平较低，物质的启动延迟 在非裔美国青年中，物质使用的水平较低。这个 这项研究的结果应该会增加我们对集团内部的了解 与接触社区暴力有关的物质使用差异以及 种族认同；可能促进儿童适应能力的认同因素 生活在暴力猖獗的社区；并帮助发展 针对特定种族的药物滥用预防和干预方案 非裔美国青少年。

DESCRIPTION: (provided by applicant) Current findings suggest that community-based, ecological variables such as exposure to community violence may be risk factors for psychological distress and adolescent substance use among African Americans. Findings may also indicate that a positive ethnic identity may moderate the effects of exposure to community violence by serving as a protective factor that prevents or delays substance use. This correlational, within-group survey study is designed to examine the influence of exposure to community violence and ethnic identity development on substance use in a single, cross-sectional sample of African American youth aged 14-18 years. The survey will include a battery of self-report measures that assess direct (victim) and indirect (witness) exposure to community violence (frequency, severity, and range), ethnic identity development, psychological functioning (depression, hopelessness, locus of control), and substance use (intent to use, age of initiation, level of use for tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs). It is expected that exposure to community violence will be associated with poorer psychological functioning (e.g., depression, hopelessness, and powerlessness/locus of control) greater intent to use alcohol, tobacco, and/or illegal drugs among adolescents who do not use alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs, and earlier ages of initiation and higher levels of substance use among adolescents who have initiated drug use. It is also expected that higher levels of ethnic identity will be associated with lower levels of intent to use substances, delayed initiation of substance use, and lower levels of substance use among African American youth. The results of this study should increase our understanding of within-group disparities in substance use related to exposure to community violence and ethnic identity; identity factors that may promote resiliency in children living in communities of high violence; and aid in the developing ethnic-specific substance abuse prevention and intervention programs for African American adolescents.