The proposed research is a 5-year cross-cultural study of early drug use among Hispanic and non-Hispanic male adolescents between 12 and 15 years of age (estimated baseline sample N= 7,000) in the Miami (FL) area. The research is a three data point prospective investigation which covers the time period from entry into junior high or middle school until graduation; a total of 3 years.
The specific aims of the research are: a) to identify specific risk factors associated with drug use among Hispanics and non-Hispanic adolescents including, personal, familial, school, and peer group characteristics; b) to identify the importance of cultural orientation, maintenance of cultural values, and acculturative conflicts in increasing or decreasing drug use; c) to identify whether the sequence and stages of drug use reported by previous studies is replicated in this sample; d) to test the esteem enhancement theory of deviance among Hispanic and non-Hispanic adolescents; e) to determine whether risk factors and related processes identified in a comprehensive theoretical framework predict drug use among Hispanics and non- Hispanics; and, f) to identify access points and modifiable risk factors appropriate for designing future school-based preventive interventions. Analytical procedures include the use of a wide array of state-of-the- art statistical methods used in epidemiologic research and model testing. The study is innovative because it is cross-cultural and uses three sources of data including teachers and parents as collateral informants. Therefore, risk factors and processes can be tested in causal models which compare ethnic groups and, in addition, specific hypotheses can be explored regarding the ramifications of acculturation on drug use among Hispanic adolescents. The Miami site is ideal because, although Hispanics constitute half of total student enrollment, little is known about their drug use patterns. Nevertheless, it is clear that gang activity is increasing in Miami, and that the price of illicit drugs is declining as availability of illicit drugs increases. The proposed research will also encompass a limited amount of ethnographic research which includes street-based observations.
| Vega, W A; Apospori, E; Gil, A G et al. (1996) A replication and elaboration of the esteem-enhancement model. Psychiatry 59:128-44 |
| Zimmerman, R S; Khoury, E L; Vega, W A et al. (1995) Teacher and parent perceptions of behavior problems among a sample of African American, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white students. Am J Community Psychol 23:181-97 |
| Vega, W A; Gil, A; Warheit, G et al. (1993) The relationship of drug use to suicide ideation and attempts among African American, Hispanic, and white non-Hispanic male adolescents. Suicide Life Threat Behav 23:110-9 |
| Vega, W A; Gil, A G; Warheit, G J et al. (1993) Acculturation and delinquent behavior among Cuban American adolescents: toward an empirical model. Am J Community Psychol 21:113-25 |
