The first purpose of this chapter is to identify the risk and protective factors related to adolescent drug use, emphasizing the importance of the parent–child relationship. The framework is derived from family interactional theory. Operating within a developmental perspective, we explore the interrelations of risk and protective factors related to drug use. A second goal of the chapter is to elucidate the protective factors that mitigate adolescents' vulnerability to drug use, as well as enhance other protective factors. Finally, we consider the implications of etiological research on the risk and protective factors and their interactions for prevention and treatment based on a number of major studies undertaken since the mid-1990s.
Drug use and abuse are costly problems that affect the health and well-being of individuals and families. Despite a decline in drug use during the early 1990s, there has since been a subsequent increase (Bachman et al., 1997). The personal, social, medical, and legal costs of adolescent drug use and abuse are considerable (Hawkins, Catalano, & Miller, 1992; Wallace & Muroff, 2002).
This chapter integrates findings from several cross-sectional and longitudinal studies conducted since the late 1980s on the psychosocial risk and protective factors for drug use and abuse. Risk factors precede drug use, increasing the probability of later drug use and abuse. Protective factors ameliorate the effect of these risk factors or enhance those of other protective factors leading to less drug use.