Students in a New York City inner city junior high school were surveyed in 1976. They were asked their attitudes toward their neighborhood, the type of people youngsters their age esteem, and in which leisure-time activities they participate. A strong relationship was found to exist between these factors and the degree the youths were involved in substance (drug and alcohol) use. The youths' substance use reflects the manner in which they relate to their environment, rather than a sense of alienation. The findings imply that substance abuse prevention programs will be enhanced by a focus on life-style commitment, rather than such things as drug use per se.
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