Perceived Risk of Violence and Victimization: Another Piece of the Adolescent Substance Use Puzzle

Previous research indicates that adolescents who are frequently violent or frequently victimized are more prone to substance use. A growing body of evidence also suggests that the choice to use substance is the result of the perceived risk and benefits of engaging in substance use. However it is not known whether the perceived risks of engaging in violent behaviors and being victimized is associated with substance use.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether perceived risks of engaging in violence and being victimized were each associated with lifetime smoking and alcohol use among an ethnically diverse Southern Californian sample of 2,789 7th graders.

Students completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire in a classroom setting. The logistic regression results indicated that lower perceived risks of gang involvement, having a handgun and being bullied were associated with lifetime smoking and alcohol use, after adjusting for demographic covariates, inhibited personality characteristics, and perceived risk and benefits of engaging in substance use. These findings suggest that less fear of violence is associated with higher rates of substance use. Implications and future directions are further discussed.