Relationship of Alcohol Use to Delinquency and Illicit Drug Use in Adolescents: Gender, Age, and Racial/Ethnic Differences

Abstract

Alcohol use has been linked to other substance use and delinquency in adolescents. However, few studies have examined variations in these relationships in representative subsamples of gender, age and racial/ethnic groups. Respondents in this study were 19,321 New York State 7–12th grade students. After controlling for significant sociodemographic factors in a regression analysis, all of the alcohol measures remained strong predictors of both delinquency and illicit drug use. Significant interactions between alcohol measures and gender, age and racial/ethnic groups were also found. For example, the relationship between binge drinking and delinquency was stronger for males than females. The relationships between alcohol measures and both delinquency and illicit drug use were stronger for younger adolescents than older adolescents. American Indians showed an added risk over other groups of being delinquent and using illicit drugs if they began drinking at an early age. Prevention efforts to delay initiation into alcohol use are likely to have effects not only on alcohol misuse but also on the development of other substance use and delinquency.