Parental Influence on Inhalant Use

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine the dynamics of the relationship between parents and their adolescent children and their association with lifetime and past-month inhalant usage. The population studied was seventh- through ninth-grade students in rural Idaho (N = 570). The authors found a small, but consistent, significant inverse correlation between parental bonding and monitoring of behavior and inhalant usage. There was also a significant positive correlation between verbally aggressive behavior in the family and inhalant use. The data imply that family interaction may play a significant role in the use of inhalants and that the family can play a major role in prevention.

KEYWORDS:

• adolescent
• inhalant use
• parental bonding
• parental monitoring
• rural
• verbal aggression

Acknowledgments

This research was sponsored by the Winifred L. Stevens Foundation. Special thanks to Chelsea Powell, Lacey Barroso, and Karl Bailey for their assistance in preparing this manuscript.

Notes

*p = 0.05. **p = 0.01.

*p = 0.05. **p = 0.01.

*p = 0.05. **p = 0.01.