This study presented an analysis into how drug-use in justice-involved boys’ friendship groups relates to subsequent substance-use in the future.
Since adolescents who befriend drug-using peers may be at risk for initiated and continued substance use, the current secondary data analysis examined how drug-use homophily (i.e., similarity) in justice-involved boys’ friendship groups relates to their subsequent substance-use variety across a period of five years. Participants were 1,216 first-time adolescent offenders (Mage Baseline = 15.29; 100% male). Multilevel model analyses revealed that, among participants who entered the study with a history of substance use, drug-use homophily was associated with greater subsequent substance-use variety. Among participants who entered the study without a history of substance use, this association was no longer significant. The findings have implications for guiding justice system programming aimed at decreasing adolescent offenders’ substance use. (Publisher abstract provided)
Downloads
Similar Publications
- Race Differences in the Association Between Binge Drinking and Treatment Among First-Time Justice-System-Impacted Youth
- Juvenile Justice- and Dual System-Involved Youth: The Role of Primary Caregiver Monitoring Habits on Juvenile Recidivism
- Heavy episodic drinking in adolescence and alcohol-related problems in adulthood: A developmental approach to alcohol use across the life course