What Puts Children And Adolescents At Risk For Substance Abuse?
Researchers believe that to maximize the prevention of adolescent substance abuse, it is important both to reduce risks and to enhance protective factors. Certain conditions – risk and protective factors – in the lives of some children and adolescents make it more or less likely that they will use alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs. Interaction of risk and protective factors within and among the three domains discussed below can affect the likelihood of adolescent substance abuse. For example, a recent study concluded that, despite similar exposures to violence in their neighborhoods, children showed varying degrees of successful adaptation and behavioral problems. The impact of the risk factors in the community was lessened by the protective factors of family warmth, cohesion, and strong parenting (Richters and Martinez 1993). Similarly, high population density, overcrowding, and poor housing appear to contribute to antisocial behavior and delinquency – which, in turn, are known risk
