Citation

Schinke S, Schwinn T, Hopkins JE, Wahlstrom L. Prev. Med. Rep. 2016; 3: 185-188.

Affiliation

Trial Reach, Inc., New York, NY, United States.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.01.012

PMID

27419013

PMCID

PMC4929185

Abstract

Drug use is a disquieting problem among the growing population of U.S. Hispanic adolescents. This study examined risk and protective factors associated with drug use in a sample of 507 Hispanic adolescents. Data were collected in 2014 and 2015 from youths across the United States. The sample had a mean age of 14.1 years and was 37.3% male. Youths responded to an online questionnaire about their drug use and risk and protective factors associated with drug use. Negative self-image, higher levels of stress, weaker coping skills, peer drug use, lower levels of self-control, goal-setting, problem-solving skills, and self-efficacy, and higher intentions to use drugs in the future were associated with increased odds of past-month drug use. Youths with higher self-images who spoke mostly English at home were less likely to use drugs than youths with higher self-images who spoke mostly Spanish at home.Study results have implications for gaining a better understanding of drug use risk and protective factors among America's growing population of Hispanic adolescents. Efforts to better examine and enhance Hispanic youths' cognitive-behavioral skills seem a wise investment.

Language: en