Parent-Child Communication and Substance Use Among Adolescents: Exploring Gender-Specific Variations

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Researchers from the University of Washington, led by J.W. Luk, published a study in the journal Addictive Behaviors in 2010, investigating the associations between communication with parents and substance use among adolescents. The study aimed to understand whether father and mother communication played a different role for sons and daughters. Using data from a national sample of 1,308 tenth graders from the 2005/06 U.S. HBSC study, the researchers found significant gender-specific variations in the associations between parent-child communication and substance use.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that among sons, father communication was protective against marijuana use, while mother communication was protective against smoking.
  • Conversely, among daughters, neither father nor mother communication was protective against substance use.
  • The researchers concluded that research is needed to understand gender-specific differences in correlates of adolescent substance use and their implications for prevention and intervention.
  • The study controlled for factors such as race/ethnicity, family structure, and socioeconomic status.
  • The researchers used logistic regression analyses to examine the associations between parent-child communication and substance use among adolescents.
  • The study suggests that different communication styles may be effective in preventing substance use for boys and girls.
  • The findings highlight the importance of considering gender-specific differences in prevention and intervention programs for adolescent substance use.

Statistics:

  • The study used data from a national sample of 1,308 tenth graders from the 2005/06 U.S. HBSC study.
  • The study found significant associations between parent-child communication and substance use among adolescents.
  • The logistic regression analyses controlled for race/ethnicity, family structure, and socioeconomic status.
  • The study found that father communication was protective against marijuana use among sons.
  • The study found that mother communication was protective against smoking among sons.

Sources:

  • Luk, et al. (2010). Parent-child communication and substance use among adolescents: do father and mother communication play a different role for sons and daughters? Addictive Behaviors, 35(5), 426-431.
  • Life Sciences
  • University of Washington, Department of Psychology
  • Mental Health Weekly Digest
  • NewsRx.com