Purpose: To identify predictors of alcohol and drug use among students in grades 5-12. Method: Self-administered survey of attitudes and behaviors. All relationships presented below were significant (p<.001). Results: 10,814 students in New Mexico completed the survey. Of these, 42% drank alcohol in the past 30 days and 33% drank 5 or more alcoholic beverages in a row (binged) in the past two weeks. In the past year, 35% used marijuana, 8% used cocaine, 14% used inhalant drugs, and 10% used amphetamines. Multiple regression indicated that drinking and binge drinking were predicted by: 1) having values supporting teenage drinking; 2) having friends who drink alcohol; 3) having parents who do not become upset when they drink alcohol. Multivariate modeling identified two variables that were associated with use of all four drug outcome variables (marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, amphetamines): 1) having one or more friends who use drugs; and 2) being unopposed to teenage drinking. A third variable was associated with marijuana, cocaine, and inhalant drug use: 3) being unopposed to teenage sex. The model of marijuana use included one additional predictor: 4) students’ feeling they did not know how to say “no” when asked to do something dangerous. Conclusion: Five factors were identified as related to alcohol and drug use: 1)&2) values concerning teen drinking and sexual activity; 3)&4) friends’ drug and alcohol use; and 5) parents’ being upset in response to their children’s drinking behaviors.
Learning Objectives: To understand the relationship between alcohol use, drug use, students' and parents' values and behaviors, and peer influence among teenage students
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Drug Use
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Relationship: Not Received.