Peer vs. parental influence in substance use among Hispanic and Anglo children and adolescents

Coombs, R.H., Paulson, M.J., & Richardson, M.A. (1991, February). Peer vs. parental influence in substance use among Hispanic and Anglo children and adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 20(1), 73-88.

OVERVIEW

This study traded precision for validity and richness of detail. Because this study investigates illegal behaviors, efforts were made to ensure confidentiality; subjects were informed that no identifiable information would be shared with anyone outside the research team. Previous research involving drug users suggests that interactions with officials (e.g., government, school, and criminal justice agencies), include significant misrepresentation of drug use behavior.

AIM

This study investigated the relative influence of peers versus parents on the use of alcohol and other drugs among Anglo and Hispanic youth. It also researched the usefulness of interpersonal factors in predicting the level of risk for future substance use.

DESIGN

Hispanic and Anglo youth, ages 9-17, were interviewed. One parent of each of the participants was also interviewed. The youth were recruited informally at a number of locations where young people gather, primarily at a boys club in Ventura, California.

FINDINGS

The following results emerged from the interviews:

Importance of being accepted or liked by friends. 59% Of users and 63% of abstainers indicate that acceptance by friends is "very important."

Frequency of peer association. 55% Of users and 57% of abstainers get together with friends "about every day."

Frequency of discussing personal problems with friends. 24% Of users and 12% of abstainers discuss personal problems with friends "about every day."

Frequency of attending parties or other social events. 28% Of users and 13% of abstainers participate in "approximately one" social activity per week.

Proportion of youths’ friends who use marijuana. 79% Of abstainers and 42% of users have no friends who use marijuana. By contrast, 37% of users and only 3% of abstainers say that at least half of their friends use marijuana.

Who understands youth best? 67% Of abstainers and 40% of users feel better understood by their parents than their friends. Conversely, 43% of users and 21% of abstainers perceive their friends as more understanding.

Who influences youths’ behavior most? 79% Of abstainers and 63% of users say their parents influence them most, whereas 25% of users and 12% of abstainers indicate their friends as more influential.

Offers youths more respect? 83% Of abstainers and 73% of users perceive their parents as offering more respect.

Whose ideas are respected more when problems arise? When problems arise, 81% of abstainers and 51% of users respect the ideas of their parents more than the ideas of their friends.

Who do young people turn to when in trouble? 79% Of abstainers and 68% of users turn first to their parents in times of trouble, and then to siblings (abstainers: 11%; users: 14%).

What if parents object strongly to youths’ friends? 32% Of abstainers and 12% of users will stop seeing a disapproved friend; 51% of abstainers and 43% of users will see them less. 32% Of users and 11% of abstainers will openly continue to see them.

CONCLUSION

This study concludes that adolescents, regardless of drug use behavior, generally report stronger affiliations with their parents than with their peers. However, when comparing abstainers to users, the study shows that users are more strongly influenced by their peers than are abstainers.

CRITIQUE AND EVALUATION

This survey gave the impression of being more reliable than past reports because the results were more confidential, remaining in the hands of the research team. It was insightful to study who influences adolescents more—parents or peers.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. In your opinion, are drug-using youth, compared to abstainers, influenced more by their peers than by their parents? Why do you think this?
2. What usually happens with a teenager when his or her parents disapprove of their friends?
3. Who do most teenagers turn to when they are in trouble? Why?
4. How can this information help you, as a youth worker? How can you be a meaningful influence in a drug user’s life? In an abstainer’s life?

IMPLICATIONS

This article is important, as it reveals that most teenagers are more influenced by their parents and seem to trust their parents more than anyone else. If this is the case, one may conclude that a teenager’s home situation is the best place to research to find out more about the teenager. The second group to study is the teenager’s group of friends.