Juvenile Substance Abuse

Research consistently found the relationship between juvenile substance abuse is associated with their living situation. Smart, Chibucos, and Didier (1990) found that “this area are influenced by a wide range of variables, the importance of which may vary at different times in the life cycle” (Smart, 1990). It is also clear that interpersonal factors are prominent influence on juveniles’ substance usage (Smart, 1990). Conjoining with Smarts research Olson Russell, and Sprenkle (1983) defines family as “the emotional bonding that family member have towers one another” (Olson, 1983 & Smart, 1990). In other words, this is the relationship as well as the emotional part of the kinship of the marital and family status that have the high predictor

As the results of the two classes the comparisons attained significance, indication greater use of alcohol and tobacco by juveniles with “extreme families” and greater use of alcohol, tobacco compared with “mid-range families” and the greater use of stimulants, and psychedelics by juveniles from “extreme families compared with “balanced families” or “mid-range Families (Smart, 1990).” This research also concluded that juveniles with “extreme” family living situation varies depending on the gender/ sex of the juvenile, the family structure whether or not the juvenile is living with both biological parents, or with single parents, or with on biological parent and one stepparent (Smart,

The Drug and Alcohol Services Information System reported that there were approximately 142,600 admissions of juveniles, ages 12 to 17, to substance abuse treatment facilities in 2005 in the United States (Terling-Watt and Sharp, 2007). According to Agnew the strain theory on the living situation can be identify as a “high-magnitude strain” (Agnew, 2006). High-magnitude strains are strains that are more likely to produce criminal coping, which often occur more often, that last longer according to Agnew (Agnew, 2006). Furthermore, Agnew also suggests that those strains associated with lower social control can be another impact to the juvenile substance use (Agnew, 2006). For example, juveniles with single parent households, lack supervision are at a higher risk of criminal coping (Agnew, 2006). Than those juveniles who are in a stable home, with both of the parents. In conclusion, Agnew suggests that since criminal coping; such as drug usage is easier seen as an alternative to legal coping, because typically the youth has no control over their living situation (Agnew,