Public Religiosity, Religious Importance, and Substance Use Among Latino Emerging Adults

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the relationship between religiosity (religious importance and public religion) and substance use (binge drinking and marijuana use) among Latino emerging adults. Method: Study utilized data (N = 2,442; 51.9% male) from wave 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Results: Only public religion was found to be a protective factor for both binge drinking and marijuana use. Conclusion: The study results suggest the potential for public forms of religion, such as attendance to services and activities, to act as a protective factor for substance use.

Keywords :

• Alcohol
• marijuana
• Latino
• religion
• emerging adults

THE AUTHORS

Oscar S. Escobar is a doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at Indiana University. He received a BA in Psychology from Rutgers University in 2008 and received his MA in Counseling Psychology from Arcadia University in 2011. His current research interests include the protective roles of cultural values in substance use and mental health prevention and treatment among Latino adolescents and emerging adults. He will graduate with his PhD in 2016.

Ellen L. Vaughan, PhD from University of Miami, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology at Indiana University. Prior to joining the faculty at Indiana University, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship in substance abuse prevention research at Yale University School of Medicine. Her current research interests include the prevention of problematic alcohol and drug use among Latino adolescents and emerging adults.