Religiosity, religious conservatism, bonds to school, and juvenile delinquency among three categories of drug users

Research has suggested the existence of qualitative differences among various categories of substance users. Employing three subsamples of college students, the author examined the statistically significant paths in three models of substance use. Religiosity was negatively related to minor delinquency and alcohol use in all three models and negatively related to marijuana and other illicit drug use in the model containing polydrug users. Religious conservatism had no significant effect on minor delinquency, marijuana use, or other illicit drug use. This variable was negatively related to alcohol use, however. Social class displayed a weak positive association with attachment to school. Attachment to school was inversely related to minor delinquency but was unrelated to substance use. Commitment to school was negatively related to minor delinquency and exhibited weak negative relationships with less serious substance use (alcohol and marijuana use). None of the school bonds were related to serious delinquency or other illicit drug use.