Araxi P. Macaulay, EdD, MPH¹, Kenneth W. Griffin, PhD, MPH², Elizabeth Gronewold, BA³, and Archana Thampi, MPH, MS³. (1) Grants and Research, Columbia University and NHPA Inc., 711 Westchester Avenue, White Plains, NY 10604, 914-421-2525, amacaulay@nhpanet.com, (2) Public Health, Cornell Weill Medical College, 411 E 69 St., New York, NY 10021, (3) Research, NHPA Inc., 711 Westchester Ave, White Plains, NY 10604

Aim: The current study explored the relationships between perceived parental behavior and adolescent drug use, and the extent to which adolescent drug knowledge, pro-drug attitudes, and perceived norms may mediate this relationship.

Introduction: While significant progress has been made in developing effective research-based approaches to drug abuse prevention over the past two decades, little attention has been devoted to the importance of parent influence on adolescent drug use.

Methodology: The sample included students (N = 2129) attending 34 middle and junior high schools in the suburbs of New York City. Students completed surveys that included measures of perceived parental monitoring, discipline, the degree to which parents communicated an anti-drug message, as well as measures of drug-related knowledge, attitudes, and peer norms. Data collectors administered the questionnaire following a standardized protocol during a regular 40-minute class period.

Results and Conclusions: Based on structural equation modeling, findings indicated that perceived parental behavior had a direct protective effect in terms of adolescent drug use. Further analyses indicated that the protective effect of parenting behavior remained significant after including the effects of parenting on adolescent drug-related knowledge, attitudes, and perceived norms in the model. These findings suggest that parental behavior has a robust protective effect on youth drug use that persists after controlling for the effects of parental behavior on several drug-specific outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to (
• identify the parental behaviors that influence adolescent drug use (
• recognize the extent to which adolescent drug knowledge, drug attitudes and perceived norms are mediated by perceived parental behavior (
• assess the need for the implementation of a research-based drug abuse prevention parent component intervention.

Keywords: Prevention, Adolescent Health

Related Web page: lifeskillstraining.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: National Health Promotion Associates Inc.
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.