The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has supported this three-year longitudinal study of 508 families drawn from the records of a health maintenance organization (HMO). The families include focal adolescents (ages 11, 12, and 13, 1982), their older siblings (14-18 years) and their parents. The study focuses on the variables of family system functioning, family stressors and strains, adolescent coping, and extrafamilial peer group influence, in an attempt to explain the variability in adolescent substance using behavior. Survey interview methodology was employed to obtain data independently from parents, focal adolescents and their older siblings. The proposed three year investigation (years 4, 5, and 6) builds upon this foundation of baseline data and is designed to advance our knowledge of critical family predictors of stages of adolescent substance use. Given the wide variability in adolescent substance-using behavior over time and the commitment of adolescents and their families to participate in this study, we have a unique opportunity to examine changes in family functioning and in adolescent substance use. This proposal also includes the introduction of observation measures to further examine family interaction and processes underlying these changes in family patterns and adolescent substance use behaviors. Additionally, this proposal will include the acquisition of objective indices of family health patterns through the utilization of family based (per family member) medical records information which will provide the investigators an additional index of family adjustment and adaptation which includes the adolescent use of substances. The continued involvement of families in this investigation (N=499 out of 508) increased the probability that the continuation of this important research effort will shed light upon critical issues involving the role of the family in shaping adolescent substance use behavior and the consequences of substance use upon the family system and the health and well-being of all its members.
| Doherty, W J; Needle, R H (1991) Psychological adjustment and substance use among adolescents before and after a parental divorce. Child Dev 62:328-37 |
| Needle, R H; Jou, S C; Su, S S (1989) The impact of changing methods of data collection on the reliability of self-reported drug use of adolescents. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 15:275-89 |
| Needle, R; McCubbin, H; Lorence, J (1985) A test of nonrespondent bias in a family-based study: a research note. Int J Addict 20:763-9 |
