The relationship between drug use, school performance, and academic aspirations among 446 Anglo and Hispanic youths, age nine to seventeen, is explored. Two groups of subjects–current substance users and non-users–were interviewed. Subjects in each comparison group were similar in age, ethnicity, and gender. Overall results, consistent with prior research, indicate a significant relationship between current school performance, future educational aspirations, and drug use. No difference was noted between substance use groups on indicators of general interest in school work or probability of dropping out of school. Important differences in response patterns occurring with age, ethnicity, and gender were found.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
JohnstonL. D.O'MalleyP. M.BachmanJ. G., Drug Use, Drinking, and Smoking: National Survey Results from High School, College, and Young Adult Populations: 1975–1988, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Rockville, Maryland, 1989.
2.
SkagerR.FrithS. L.MaddahianE., Biennial Survey of Drug and Alcohol Use among California Students in 7, 9, and 11, Office of the Attorney General, Sacramento, California, 1986.
3.
AusubelD. P.MontemayorR.SvajianP., Theory and Problems of Development, Grune and Stratton, New York, 1977.
4.
BryB., Predicting Drug Abuse: Review and Reformations, The International Journal of the Addictions, 18:2, pp. 223–233, 1983.
5.
SutherlandE.CresseyD., Criminology, Lippincott, New York, 1970.
6.
WingardJ. A.HubaG. J.BentlerP. M., A Longitudinal Analysis of Personality Structure and Adolescent Substance Use, Personality and Individual Differences, 1:3, pp. 259–272, 1980.
7.
CoombsR. H.WellischD. K.FawzyF. I., Drinking Patterns and Problems among Female Children and Adolescents: A Comparison of Abstainers, Past Users, and Current Users, American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 11:3/4, pp. 315–348, 1985.
8.
HubaG. J.BentlerP. M., The Role of Peer and Adult Models for Drug Taking at Various Stages of Adolescence, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 9:5, pp. 449–465, 1980.
9.
MarcosA. C.BahrS. J.JohnsonR. E., Test of a Bonding/Association Theory of Adolescent Drug Use, Social Forces, 65:1, pp. 135–161, 1986.
10.
NeedleR.McCubbinH.WilsonM.ReineckR.LazarA.MedererH., Interpersonal Influences in Adolescent Drug Use: The Role of Older Siblings, Parents, and Peers, The International Journal of the Addictions, 21:7, pp. 739–766, 1986.
11.
NewcombM. D.BentlerP. M., Substance Use and Ethnicity: Differential Impact of Peer and Adult Models, The Journal of Psychology, 120:1, pp. 83–95, 1986.
12.
BrownB. B.ClasenD. R.EicherS. A., Perceptions of Peer Pressure, Peer Conformity Dispositions, and Self-Reported Behavior among Adolescents, Developmental Psychology, 22:4, pp. 521–530, 1986.
13.
CoombsR. H.LandsverkJ., Parenting Styles and Substance Use during Childhood and Adolescence, Journal of Marriage and the Family, 50:2, pp. 473–482, 1988.
14.
GlynnT. J.HaenleinM. A., Family Theory and Research on Adolescent Drug Use: A Review, in The Family Context of Adolescent Drug Use, CoombsR. H. (ed.), Haworth Press, New York, 1988.
15.
KandelD. B., On Processes of Peer Influence in Adolescent Drug Use: A Developmental Perspective, Advances in Alcohol and Substance Abuse, 4, pp. 139–163, 1985.
16.
OettingE. R.BeauvaisF., Peer Cluster Theory, Socialization Characteristics, and Adolescent Drug Use: Path Analysis, Journal of Counseling Psychology, 34:2, pp. 205–213, 1987.
17.
SwadiH.ZeitlinH., Peer Influence and Adolescent Substance Abuse: A Promising Side?, British Journal of Addictions, 83:2, pp. 153–157, 1988.
18.
EnsmingerM. E.BrownC. H.KellamS. G., Social Control as an Explanation of Sex Differences in Substance Use among Adolescents, in Problems of Drug Dependency, HarrisL. S. (ed.), National Institute on Drug Abuse, Rockville, Maryland, 1985.
19.
MaddahianE.NewcombM. D.BentlerP. M., Risk Factors for Substance Use: Ethnic Differences among Adolescents, Journal of Substance Abuse, 1, pp. 11–23, 1988.
20.
MaddahianE.NewcombM. D.BentlerP. M., Single and Multiple Patterns of Adolescent Substance Use: Longitudinal Comparisons of Four Ethnic Groups, Journal of Drug Education, 15:4, pp. 311–326, 1985.
21.
NewcombM. D.MaddahianE.SkagerR.BentlerP. M., Substance Abuse and Psychosocial Risk Factors among Teenagers: Associations with Sex, Age, Ethnicity, and Type of School, American Journal on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 13:4, pp. 413–433, 1987.
22.
WelteJ. W.BarnesG. M., Alcohol Use among Adolescent Minority Groups, Adolescence, 15:60, pp. 329–336, 1987.
23.
HawkinsJ. D.LishnerD. M.CatalanoR. F.HowardM. O., Childhood Predictors of Adolescent Substance Abuse: Toward an Empirically Grounded Theory, Journal of Children in Contemporary Society, 18:1/2, pp. 11–48, 1985.
24.
SvobodnyL. A., Biographical, Self-Concept, and Educational Factors among Chemically Dependent Adolescents, Adolescence, 17:68, pp. 847–853, 1982.
25.
CoombsR. H., Junkies and Straights: The Camarilla Experience, Lexington Books, Lexington, Massachusetts, 1975.
26.
CoombsR. H.CoombsK., Developmental Stages in Drug Use: Changing Family Involvements, in The Family Context of Adolescent Drug Use, CoombsR. H. (ed.), Haworth Press, New York, 1988.
27.
CoombsR. H.FryL. J.LewisP. G. (eds.), Socialization in Drug Abuse, Schenkman Publishing Co., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1976.
28.
AbelsonH.FishburneP.CisinI., National Survey on Drug Abuse: 1977-Volume I-Main Findings, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Rockville, Maryland, 1977.
29.
NehemkisA.MacariM. A.LettieriD. J., Drug Abuse Instrument Handbook, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Rockville, Maryland, 1976.
