Theories on drug use etiology postulate that risk factors in the individual, family, school, peer group, and the neighborhood/community may precipitate, coexist with or in some way be associated with drug use. Kumpfer (1991) confirmed a model of risk and protective factors for adolescent alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use (ATOD) called the Social Ecology Model in a sample of the general population (1991) and later in a Latino sample (1993). Specifically, the model holds that family climate and school climate strongly influence youth self-esteem, school bonding, and eventual choice of peers. Kumpfer noted that while the impact of family was indirect for the primarily white sample, a direct pathway between family relations and youth ATOD use was found in the Latino sample. Creciendo Saludable is a student assistance program in an urban city in Southern California that is predominately Latino. The neighborhood the program is located in exhibits all the risk factors that are common to many urban communities across the country: high population density; high levels of gang activity, and extremely high levels of poverty. Each year students (grades 4th-7th) are universally administered the American Drug and Alcohol Survey (ADAS), the Individual Protective Factor Index (IPFI) and the Positive Behavior Index (PBI). This study examines data collected from Creciendo Saludable's annual survey of elementary and middle school students. Static-score regression models are used to estimate the effects of protective factors on delinquency and positive behavior.
Learning Objectives: Examining risk and protective factors for alcohol tobacco and other drug use among Latino middle school youth
Keywords: Adolescents, Drug Use
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.