The Role of Parenting in Alcohol and Tobacco Use Among Latino Adolescents

Abstract

Parents can impact adolescent substance use, but it is unclear which substances are most affected. This study compared associations between parenting behaviors and alcohol and tobacco use to see if parenting was equally related to both behaviors. Alcohol and tobacco use data were collected from 252 Latino adolescents living along the San Diego–Tijuana border. Logistic regression was used to test parenting behaviors' impact. Parenting was protective against alcohol use but not related to tobacco use. Substance-using peers affected both alcohol and tobacco use. Alcohol prevention efforts among Latino adolescents should target parenting behaviors.

KEYWORDS:

• adolescents
• alcohol
• Latinos
• parental influence
• tobacco

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, Grant #R01 HL068595.

Notes

*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

^a Not included in analyses because the prevalence of tobacco use was too low.

Note. R ² refers to the overall regression for each model; chi-square refers to the summary statistics for each model.

*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

Note. R ² refers to the overall regression for each model; chi-square refers to the summary statistics for each model.

*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.