Recorded presentation

Claire Sterk, PhD¹, Kirk Elifson, PhD², Dawn L. Comeau, MA³, and Kristin J. Wilson². (1) Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, 404-727-9124, csterk@sph.emory.edu, (2) Department of Sociology, Georgia State University, University Plaza, Atlanta, GA 30303, (3) Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory Univeristy, Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road, Rm 534, Atlanta, GA 30322

Objectives: (1) to explore dimensions of family dynamics that influence drug use vulnerability and (2) to investigate the impact of familial drug use on young adult cocaine users. Methods: Data were collected using questionnaire-based and open-ended interviews with 15 triad pairs consisting of one active young adult drug user (the target), one biological sibling and one biological parent. Analysis involved descriptive statistics and the constant comparison methods common to grounded theory. Results: Findings suggest that socialization in the family, family cohesion, family resources, and changes in family composition are salient risk and protective factors to drug use vulnerability. In addition, both parental and sibling drug use are shown to impact target drug use through a wide variety of routes of drug use transmission. Conclusions: Intervention strategies that recognize family dynamics as an important environmental factor are needed. Moreover, such prevention interventions need to consider the complexities of “cause” and “effect” of drug use.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will be able to (
• recognize the importance of familial relationships and related dynamics to drug use vulnerability; (
• identify differences between the impact of the family environment in general versus those related to drug use among specific family members; and (
• use this knowledge to develop prevention interventions that address the influence of the family as an environmental risk/protective factor.

Keywords: Substance Abuse Prevention, Family Involvement

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.

Recorded presentation