Structural Equation Socialization Model of Substance Use among Mexican-American and White Non-Hispanic School Dropouts

Purpose: To test a socialization model of polydrug use among Mexican-American and white non-Hispanic school dropouts. Methods: A sample of 910 Mexican-American and white non-Hispanic school dropouts were surveyed regarding their use of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs, and socialization characteristics that have previously been shown to be predictive of adolescent substance use. A structural equation model based on peer cluster theory was evaluated for goodness of fit and for differences in model characteristics by ethnicity and gender. Results: Results partially confirmed peer cluster theory among school dropouts in that association with drug-using peers was the most powerful direct predictor of substance use. The effects of a number of other socializing influences were indirect, mediated through association with drug-using peers. Some differences were present between Mexican-American and white non-Hispanic subgroups. Conclusions: Results were similar to those obtained from previous tests of this model among youth who remain in school, suggesting that social influences on drug use are similar across students and school dropouts. Association with drug-using peers dominates the prediction of substance use among school dropouts. However, family communication of drug use sanctions helps to both limit substance use and strengthen family bonds. Prior school adjustment is likely to be an important protective factor in limiting substance use among Mexican-American dropouts

Profiles of Ecosystemic Resilience and Risk: American Indian Adolescent Substance Use during the First Year of the COVID-19 Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption to the lives of American Indian (AI) adolescents. While reservation-area AI youth already have a higher risk of substance use (SU) compared to their non-AI peers, COVID-19 stressors likely exacerbated this risk. However, COVID-19-specific and general resilience factors may have buffered against increased SU over the course of the pandemic. Using a person-centered, ecosystemic framework of resilience, we used latent profile analysis to identify ecosystemic resilience profiles indicated by general and COVID-19-specific risk and resilience factors, then examined inter-profile changes in alcohol and cannabis use after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic from the spring of 2020 to the spring of 2021. The sample was 2218 reservation-area AI adolescents (7–12th grade; schools = 20; Mage = 15, SD = 1.7; 52% female). Four profiles emerged: Average Risk and Resilience, High Resilience, Low Resilience, and High Risk. Adolescents with a High-Risk profile demonstrated increases in alcohol and cannabis use, while High Resilience youth demonstrated decreases. These findings support the hypothesized COVID-19-specific ecosystemic resilience profiles and the application of a person-centered ecosystemic framework to identify which AI adolescents are most likely to experience substance use changes during a life-altering crisis like COVID-19

Cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Use among Migrant and Nonmigrant Mexican American Youth

Increase in smoking/tobacco-related diseases among the Hispanic population calls for an examination of its use among this population. This study examined the relationship between gender, level of cultural identification, migrant status, and grade level and tobacco use and perception of its harm among Mexican American youth. Results showed males more likely to use cigarettes (occasional and daily) and smokeless tobacco than females when grade, cultural identification, and migrant status of parents are held constant. No gender effect was found for lifetime cigarette use. The odds of using cigarettes and smokeless tobacco increase substantially across grades. Effects were found for Mexican American/Spanish and AnglolWhite American cultural identification and daily cigarette use. Youths who belonged to nonmigrant families or who identified with a traditional Mexican American/Spanish culture were more likely to consider regular tobacco use as harmful. These and other findings are discussed from the perspective of future research and prevention and intervention efforts