Racial differences in early adolescent substance use: Child abuse types and family/peer substance use as predictors

Abstract

This study examined the associations among child abuse types, family/peer substance use, and adolescent substance use, as well as testing whether these associations vary by race. The sample was derived from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (N = 562). Child sexual abuse, family substance use, and peer substance use were associated with a higher likelihood of adolescent substance use. Sexual abuse was more strongly associated with substance use in Black youth than in White youth. Conversely, greater peer substance use had a stronger association with substance use in White youth than in Black youth.

Keywords:

• Child abuse
• family
• peer
• racial differences
• substance use

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.