RT Article
T1 Revisiting the Association Between Attachment to Parents and Adolescent Substance Use: Conditional Effects of Parental Disapproval
JF American journal of criminal justice
VO 48
IS 3
SP 602
OP 634
A1 Meldrum, Ryan Charles
A2 Lehmann, Peter S.
A2 Kakar, Suman 1953-
A2 Silverthorn, Rachel
LA English
YR 2023
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1883308844
AB Social bond theory provides a clear theoretical link between attachment to parents and reduced involvement with substance use regardless of the substance use-related attitudes and behaviors of parents. In contrast, social learning theories contend that attachment to parents may increase substance use if youth perceive that their parents are less disapproving, or even approving, of it. To date, these contrasting propositions have received limited empirical attention, and the present study aims to resolve this theoretical tension. Using data on a statewide sample of middle and high school students from Florida (N = 48315), we assess the main and interactive effects of attachment to parents and parental disapproval of substance use on youths’ own use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. The results provide evidence that the negative to null effect of attachment to parents on substance use changes to positive as youth perceive parents to be less disapproving of substance use. The findings of this study challenge the assumption that greater attachment to parents is universally protective against substance use and provide support for social learning perspectives over social bond theory.
K1 Attachment to parents
K1 Differential Association
K1 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey
K1 social bonds
K1 Social Learning
K1 Substance Use
DO 10.1007/s12103-022-09673-w