Adolescent alcohol and substance abuse: parent and peer effects

There has been considerable research into the effects of peer and parent drug usage on substance abuse by the adolescent. A correlation has been shown to exist between parent usage and increased adolescent substance usage. The parental attitude toward illicit substance use has been positively correlated with adolescent substance use. Once the adolescent starts using illicit drugs, the influence of parents decreases, and the peer influence increases. The research provides further support to Kandel's theory of stages of substance use. In addition, it provides support to the theory that adolescent substance usage is learned, in part, by modeling and imitation. The results are not as conclusive in predicting personality characteristics of the adolescent and parental influence that predate adolescent substance abuse.     

Child Abuse and Adolescent Parenting

Abstract

Adolescent parents are commonly identified as an at-risk group in the child abuse literature. However, theoretical models specific to the area of child abuse and adolescent parenting are not well developed. This essay reviews established theories on child abuse, abusive parenting, and adolescent parenting to synthesize a proposed child abuse and adolescent parenting model. An ecological perspective is used to organize the theoretical model. The components of this model are supported by existing research on child abuse and adolescent parenting. The new synthesized model on child abuse and adolescent parenting should be viewed as an informed way to organize and conduct future research in this area. Further theory development on child abuse and adolescent parenting should be encouraged.     

Adolescent and parent perspectives on ethical issues in youth drug use and suicide survey research

The contribution of adolescent and parent perspectives to ethical planning of survey research on youth drug use and suicide behaviors are highlighted through an empirical examination of 322 7th-12th graders' and 160 parents' opinions on questions related to 4 ethical dimensions of survey research practice: (a) evaluating research risks and benefits, (b) establishing guardian permission requirements, (c) developing confidentiality and disclosure policies, and (d) using cash incentives for recruitment. Generational and ethnic variation in response to questionnaire items developed from discussions within adolescent and parent focus groups are described. The article concludes with a discussion of the potential contributions and challenges of adolescent and parent perspectives for planning scientifically valid and ethically responsible youth risk survey research.     

Correlates of success following treatment for adolescent substance abuse

To date, little research is available examining the course and features of recovery from substance abuse following adolescent treatment. The current study evaluated the functioning of 142 teens for 2 years following treatment for substance abuse. Adolescent drug and alcohol outcome was examined in relation to functioning on five major life domains: academic involvement, interpersonal problems, emotional well-being, family relations, and social and occupational activities. Results of this investigation demonstrate that psychosocial functioning is associated with adolescent posttreatment drug and alcohol use. Teens who were abstinent and those with less substance use involvement generally displayed better functioning. The relationship between teen alcohol and drug use and improvement in functioning varied across psychosocial domains. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed along with advances in teen substance abuse research and treatment.     

Adolescent and Parent Perspectives on Ethical Issues in Youth Drug Use and Suicide Survey Research

The contributions of adolescent and parent perspectives to ethical planning of survey research on youth drug use and suicide behaviors are highlighted through an empirical examination of 322 7th-12th graders' and 160 parents' opinions on questions related to 4 ethical dimensions of survey research practice: (a)evaluating research risks and benefits, (b)establishing guardian permission requirements, (c)developing confidentiality and disclosure policies, and (d)using cash incentives for recruitment. Generational and ethnic variation in response to questionnaire items developed from discussions within adolescent and parent focus groups are described. The article concludes with a discussion of the potential contributions and challenges of adolescent and parent perspectives for planning scientifically valid and ethically responsible youth risk survey research.     

Psychopathology as risk for adolescent substance use disorders: a developmental psychopathology perspective.

Examines several issues on psychiatric diagnoses as risk factors for adolescent drug use and substance use disorders. The articles in this special section are discussed in terms of dynamic models of risk and protective factors, stages of research needed for establishing causal mechanisms in the etiology of drug use disorders, conceptualizing drug use and abuse in the context of the developmental organization of the individual, equifinality and multifinality in developmental pathways to drug use and abuse, and issues in conceptualizing drug use problems as mental disorders. Future directions for research on the etiology of problem drug use, guided by principles of developmental psychopathology and prevention science, are provided.     

The Relation Between Child Maltreatment and Adolescent Suicidal Behavior: A Systematic Review and Critical Examination of the Literature

A large body of research suggests that child maltreatment (CM) is associated with adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts. These studies, however, have not been critically examined and summarized in a manner that allows us to draw firm conclusions and make recommendations for future research and clinical work in this area. In this review, we evaluated all of the research literature to date examining the relationship between CM and adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts. Results generally suggest that childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect are associated with adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts across community, clinical, and high-risk samples, using cross-sectional and longitudinal research designs. In most studies, these associations remain significant when controlling for covariates such as youth demographics, mental health, family, and peer-related variables. When different forms of CM are examined in the same multivariate analysis, most research suggests that each form of CM maintains an independent association with adolescent suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. However, a subset of studies yielded evidence to suggest that sexual abuse and emotional abuse may be relatively more important in explaining suicidal behavior than physical abuse or neglect. Research also suggests an additive effect—each form of CM contributes unique variance to adolescent suicide attempts. We discuss the current limitations of this literature and offer recommendations for future research. We conclude with an overview of the clinical implications of this research, including careful, detailed screening of CM history, past suicidal behavior, and current suicidal ideation, as well as the need for integrated treatment approaches that effectively address both CM and adolescent suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.     

Social and Personal Determinants of Adolescent Use and Abuse of Alcohol and Marijuana

This article summarizes research on social and personal determinants of adolescent use and abuse of alcohol and marijuana to aid practitioners when designing interventions.     

The role of theory in treating adolescent substance abuse

The adolescent substance abuser, like adult addicts, is most commonly considered from the perspective of the disease model. The usefulness of the disease model in conceptualizing adolescent substance abuse is questioned, and an alternative view of the topic is set forth. Substance abuse, is regarded as an adaptive aspect of the ongoing interactive processes within the family. The developmental process of the adolescent substance abuser is seen as a functional dynamic in the family's preservation. Three characteristic elements of parental interaction common to the development of adolescent substance abuse are highlighted.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Texas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy annual conference on January 28, 1993 in Houston Texas.a research associate and director of the Don D. Jackson Archive at the Mental Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA. Authors are listed alphabetically.     

Why do child sexual abuse victims not tell anyone about their abuse? An exploration of factors that prevent and promote disclosure

Disclosure rates of child sexual abuse (CSA) to both social supports and law enforcement are concerningly low, although more research is needed to understand factors that impact disclosure. Thus, the present study examined rates of informal (i.e., to a social support) and formal (i.e., to law enforcement) disclosure of CSA, as well as victims' self-reported experiences with telling others about their own abuse and their perceptions of the overall advantages and disadvantages of disclosure. In all, 76 undergraduate women (who collectively experienced 105 instances of abuse) participated in a semi-structured interview regarding their history of CSA. Results revealed that approximately 50% of cases involved the victim informally disclosing, and only 10% of cases being formally disclosed to authorities. The quantitative and qualitative data shed light on a number of factors that lead victims to not disclose, as well as the identification of factors that may promote a victim to share their abuse with others. The implications for improved prevention and responses to CSA disclosure are discussed.     

Family-Based Therapy for Adolescent Drug Abuse: Knowns and Unknowns

Family-based therapy is one of the most thoroughly studied treatments for adolescent drug abuse. Considerable empirical support exists for the efficacy of family-based therapy in curtailing adolescent drug use and cooccurring behavior problems. This article extends knowledge of the effects of family-based therapy for adolescent drug abuse by reviewing 16 controlled trials and 4 therapy process studies from a treatment development perspective. We articulate knowns and unknowns regarding the outcomes of treatment as well as the components, processes, mechanisms, moderators, and boundaries of effective family-based therapy for adolescent drug abuse. The review highlights areas of progress and future research needs within the specialty of family-based therapy for adolescent drug abuse.     

Longitudinal associations between adolescent alcohol use and parents' sources of knowledge

The aim of this study was to test the direction of effect in the relationship between parents' sources of knowledge (parental monitoring and child disclosure) and adolescent alcohol use. The participants were 215 adolescents and their mothers, randomly selected from urban and rural areas in Cyprus. A 3‐month, two‐timepoint longitudinal design was used in which adolescents completed the alcohol use disorders identification test while mothers completed a parental knowledge questionnaire. The results of this study showed that parental monitoring did not predict subsequent adolescent alcohol use. However, child disclosure at Time 1 negatively predicted adolescent alcohol use at Time 2. Moreover, adolescents' alcohol dependence symptoms at Time 1 negatively predicted both sources of parental knowledge at Time 2.     

The Relationship Between Perceptions of Neighborhood Characteristics and Substance Use Among Urban African American Adolescents

Although the neighborhood microsystem is recognized as an important domain for adolescent development, relative to the family and peer contexts, neighborhood factors have been understudied in relation to adolescent substance abuse. In addition, recent research suggests that risk factors for adolescent substance use may differ for African Americans when compared to Caucasian youth. This study investigated the association between perceived neighborhood disorganization and later substance use, as well as possible mediators of that association, among a community sample of urban African American adolescents. Perceptions of neighborhood disorganization (i.e., violence/safety and drug activity) in grade 7 were associated with increased tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use in grade 9. For females, this association was mediated by attitudes about drug use and perceptions of drug harmfulness. Findings highlight the importance of neighborhood contextual variables for African American substance use. Implications and directions for future research are presented.     

The Mediating Roles of Adolescent Disclosure and Parental Knowledge in the Association Between Parental Warmth and Delinquency Among Korean Adolescents

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between parental warmth and adolescent delinquency, the potential mediating roles of adolescent disclosure and parental knowledge, and gender differences in such association among Korean adolescents. We hypothesized that (1) parental warmth would be significantly and negatively associated with delinquency, (2) adolescent disclosure and parental knowledge would mediate the association between parental warmth and adolescent delinquency, and (3) the association between parental warmth and adolescent delinquency mediated through adolescent disclosure and parental knowledge would be stronger for adolescent girls than boys. Using a sample of 3125 Korean adolescents from nationally representative and longitudinal data (Korea Youth Panel Survey), results from path analyses demonstrated that findings were consistent with US samples, suggesting a negative association between parental warmth and adolescent delinquency. Further, when Korean adolescents perceived parents to be warmer, they were more likely to disclose personal information to their parents. In turn, higher levels of disclosure were associated with higher levels of parental knowledge about their adolescent children’s activities. Finally, tests of gender differences suggested that parental warmth was more closely associated with adolescent disclosure among girls than boys. Results supported a process model through which parents may shape adolescent children’s delinquency.     

Patterns of adolescent psychoactive substance use and abuse in Benin City, Nigeria

The pattern of use and abuse of psychoactive substances by Nigerian adolescents is investigated. Unlike previous epidemiological studies that used questionnaires to investigate university or postprimary school students, the present study used unobtrusive methods for data collection. The observed pattern of use was not different from that found in previous research. Adolescents tended to use the following drugs in decreasing order of frequency: alcohol, cigarettes, stimulants, cannabis (Indian hemp) and sedative-hypnotics. Polydrug use, especially of alcohol, stimulants, and cigarettes, is common. The use of hard drugs was not reported in this study. The implications of the findings can be appreciated only against the background of the known sequelae (psychological, physical, and socioeconomic) of psychoactive drug abuse. Finally, recommendations for controlling adolescent drug use are offered.     

Gender, religion, and adolescent patterns of self-disclosure in the divided society of Northern Ireland

Adolescence is a period when levels of self-disclosure are often lowest. While studies have revealed a clear preference for female targets of disclosure, little research has been carried out on the effects of religion upon disclosure. The impact of religion was of importance in this investigation, given that it was conducted in Northern Ireland, where religion affects almost every aspect of social life. The aim was to ascertain the effects of gender and religious affiliation on adolescent disclosure to friends and strangers. Results revealed that while females were significantly higher disclosers than were males, religion per se did not play a key role. This suggests that even in a highly polarized society, gender is the central determinant of disclosure and is even more important than political identity. The implications of these findings are discussed, particularly with regard to the difficulty young males have in terms of revealing personal information.     

Priests as Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Effects of Disclosure on Empathy

This study explores the effects of disclosing a history of childhood sexual abuse on empathy for Roman Catholic priests. The research design randomly selected priests in good standing in the Roman Catholic Church from 10 locations in the United States. Three groups of priests were identified based on self-report: (a) priests who report sexual abuse and no disclosure, (b) priests who report sexual abuse and disclosure, and (c) priests who report no sexual abuse. The three groups were compared using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index dimensions of perspective-taking, empathic concern, and personal distress as the dependent variable. The data was analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression to examine the incremental contributions for the different sets of independent variables. Results indicate that empathy was not exclusively associated with disclosing sexual abuse. The need for earlier intervention, education, and assistance for priests in disclosing childhood sexual abuse is discussed.     

Secret-Keeping Behaviors in Black and White Children as a Function of Interviewer Race,Racial Identity,and Risk for Abuse

Summary

The tendency for children to keep the secret of child abuse is an important practical impediment to adequate research, prevention, assessment, and treatment. While some studies have established that children will readily keep adult secrets, few have investigated the predictors of ease of disclosure. In this research, race of the interviewer requesting the secret strongly affected disclosure, with Black children particularly showing an unwillingness to disclose a negative secret to a different race interviewer. Children at high risk for sexual abuse (as assessed by the Finkelhor checklist) also were more likely to keep the secret.     

Use of Logotherapy's Mountain Range Exercise with Male Adolescents with Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities and Sexual Behavior Problems

This article discusses the use of logotherapy's Mountain Range Exercise (MRE) with adolescent males with mild to moderate mental retardation/developmental disabilities and sexual behavior problems in a high-management group home setting. The activity was used in group therapy with nine patients to build rapport, clarify values, enhance attention and focus, and facilitate patient disclosure of sexual offense histories in subsequent sessions. The literature on youths with sexually aggressive behavior problems is reviewed, followed by the rationale for using the technique with this population. Future directions for research are offered.     

A prospective study of memory for child sexual abuse: new findings relevant to the repressed-memory controversy

Previous research indicates that many adults (nearly 40%) fail to report their own documented child sexual abuse (CSA) when asked about their childhood experiences. These controversial results could reflect lack of consciously accessible recollection, thus bolstering claims that traumatic memories may be repressed. In the present study, 175 individuals with documented CSA histories were interviewed regarding their childhood trauma. Unlike in previous studies, the majority of participants (81%) in our study reported the documented abuse. Older age when the abuse ended, maternal support following disclosure of the abuse, and more severe abuse were associated with an increased likelihood of disclosure. Ethnicity and dissociation also played a role. Failure to report CSA should not necessarily be interpreted as evidence that the abuse is inaccessible to memory, although inaccessibility or forgetting cannot be ruled out in a subset of cases.