Adolescent Drug Use and the Family Environment: A Review

Abstract

A broad based review was done which is not restricted to any particular drug or class of drugs, nor to any particular aspect of family interaction. The review attempts to identify the general family interactional and drug variables which potentially underly adolescent drug use. Of particular importance theoretically has been the development of homeostatic models, which depart from previous linear “cause and effect” models. Suggested variables for further assessment in regard to their relationship to adolescent drug use include birth order, family size, and family makeup (intactness) especially in regard to when parents divorced. Less research has been done on couple variables as opposed to family origin variables. Family dynamics hold much promise for study. Variables such as parental roles and parent-child relationships especially in terms of distance regulation and overinvolvement call for further study. Although these variables have been studied, numerous methodological problems often exist when they have been incorporated into studies.