Background: In this study, we investigate the moderated association of school connectedness and alcohol expectancies with adolescent drinking. Methods: Two large community samples were obtained with 2 repeated attempted censuses of all students attending a large suburban school district. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire…

Multiple risks are associated with early use of anabolic androgenic steroids, yet public understanding is limited and teen use not uncommon. The present study surveyed 4,231 high school students to understand prevalence of use, association with athletics and other substance use and expectations of drug effects. While overall rates of steroid use…

The current study examines the effectiveness of a voluntary high school-based alcohol intervention by investigating one proposed mechanism of change in adolescent alcohol involvement: perception of peer use. High school students reporting lifetime drinking (N = 2055) completed fall and spring surveys that assessed demographic information,…

Self-efficacy is an important cognitive predictor of substance abuse treatment outcome. Although measures of coping self-efficacy are related to substance use relapse in adults, their properties are not well-known in adolescent populations. The present study examined 223 adolescents while in treatment for substance abuse and comorbid psychiatric…

The relationship of diagnosis, developmentally relevant factors (e.g., life stress, peer substance use) and mental health symptoms to contexts of a return to substance use were examined for 103 substance abusing adolescents with Axis I psychopathology (ages 12-17) following inpatient treatment. Proximal psychiatric symptoms and developmentally…

Examines the relationship of two types of common behavioral problems of adolescence, substance involvement (SI) and Conduct Disorder Behavior (CDB), to traumatic injury related health problems (TRHP) during adolescence and young adulthood. Analyses suggest that early SI places females at risk for TRHP, while CDB is more related to TRHP for males.…

Thirty-five substance abusing adolescents completed a cigarette-focused intervention and were followed-up on at three months post-treatment. Six were abstinent from smoking at follow-up, while 17 had attempted cessation. Duration of smoking and intentions to quit predicted cessation attempts. Smoking cessation had no negative effect on substance…

This investigation examined how personal, environmental and substance use factors predicted psychosocial functioning for youth with alcohol and drug problems. Four hundred twenty-four adolescents (M = 15.9, SD = 1.3) completed comprehensive assessments, including personal characteristics (e.g., Axis I diagnosis, motivation, self-esteem),…

Examines family variables that may influence adolescent substance use during the 6 months following inpatient treatment: parental substance use, family aftercare attendance, and adolescent ratings of family helpfulness. Results revealed no relationship between either parental substance use and family aftercare attendance or reports of family…

Compared conduct disorder behaviors and substance involvement of Hispanic (n=34) and non-Hispanic Caucasian (n=34) adolescents so as to determine pre-treatment problem behavior. Results indicate that non-Hispanic Caucasian youth were three times as likely to be diagnosed with conduct disorder prior to substance involvement than were their Hispanic…

Youth substance use disorder treatment programs frequently advocate integration into 12-Step fellowships to help prevent relapse. However, the effects of the predominantly adult composition of 12-step groups on adolescent involvement and substance use outcome remain unstudied. Greater knowledge could enhance the specificity of treatment…

Examines predictors of long-term smoking persistence for substance-abusing adolescents (N=125). Results indicate that the age of initial cigarette use and extent of smoking at the time of treatment predicts late adolescent/early adult smoking for males but not for females. Findings highlight importance of smoking intervention for adolescent…

Research has documented the genetic contribution of paternal alcoholism and Antisocial Personality Disorder as risk factors for adolescent deviant behavior, including substance abuse. Teens (n=147) between the ages of 12 and 19 years and their parents participated in the study. The sample consisted of 74 substance abusing teens/families drawn from…