Drug attitude, self-esteem, decision-making, conflict resolution, and family management: Predictive factors for substance use among at risk adolescents

Substance use can compromise adolescent health and social development. Using social learning, social bonding, and conflict theories, the present study examined predictive factors for substance use among adolescents aged 13-18 years (N=5,453) pertinent to drug attitude, self-esteem, decision-making, conflict resolution, and family management. Part of a longitudinal project, participants were male and female students in 6th - 12th grades drawn from public schools in Tennessee, who were suspended or expelled from school for drug-related offense. Participants completed the TADPOLE-SABS questionnaires that included six subscales: substance use; drug attitude; self-esteem; decision-making; conflict resolution, and family management. Responses for items in the independent variables (e.g., drug attitude) were reversed so that lower scores suggest positive/optimal outcomes, whereas higher scores represent negative outcomes. Proc Logistics in SAS was used to perform generalized logistics to determine whether drug attitude, self-esteem, decision-making, conflict resolution, family management, as well as age and gender were predictors of association for substance use in the targeted sample. The Odds Ratio Estimates of the variables were also computed. Findings revealed significant predictive associations for substance use and the independent variables (e.g., drug attitude, self-esteem, and decision-making). The odds of initiating marijuana use were 5 times higher for those reporting negative drug attitude than those reporting negative attitude for any other independent variable. Similarly, the odds for age of initiating marijuana use were 4 times higher for those reporting negative drug attitude than those reporting negative attitude for any other variable. The implications of findings for prevention intervention approaches are discussed.