Abstract
This study was designed to compare drug-abusing adolescents and their families with nondrug-abusing adolescents and their families by (1) a comparison of the adolescents on measures of self-esteem and perceived parental behavior, (2) a comparison of the parents of drug-abusing adolescents with the parents of nondrug-abusing adolescents on child-rearing attitudes and on distortion in perceived parental behavior, and (3) an identification of the salient factors contributing to the prediction of drug-use in adolescents. The subjects in this study were 26 clinical inpatient drug-abusing adolescents and their parents and 26 nondrug-abusing adolescents and their parents. Testdata consisted of the adolescent's self-esteem score on the Self Esteem Inventory (SEI), the adolescent's factor score on the Child's Report of Parental Behavior Inventory—Revised (CRPBI-R), and the parents' scale score on each of the five factors of the Parent Attitude Survey (PAS). Findings indicate that the adolescent's self-esteem and perception of parental behavior, the ability of the parents to predict the child's parental perceptions, and the professed parental attitudes toward confidence and responsibility in child rearing all combine to suggest a set of factors differentiating the drug-abusing adolescent from the nondrug-abusing adolescent.
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Consultant for Unit II, a substance abuse program for adolescents and adults. Received her Ph.D. from North Texas State University. Current interests are adolescent substance abuse within the context of the family system, and the role of hypnosis and autonomic nervous system control in pain management.
Received her Ph.D. from The University of Missouri-Columbia. Current interests are child-and adolescent-oriented family therapy and studies of youth and social issues.
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Rees, C.D., Wilborn, B.L. Correlates of drug abuse in adolescents: A comparison of families of drug abusers with families of nondrug abusers. J Youth Adolescence 12, 55–63 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02092114
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02092114