Research & Resources

This study examines the associations of traditional ecological predictors of substance use (substance use beliefs, externalizing and internalizing symptoms, peer support, parent involvement, school engagement, and neighborhood engagement) with concurrent alcohol and cannabis use among African-American adolescents. It also examines whether racial identity is associated with concurrent use beyond the influence of traditional factors. Findings demonstrated that traditional risk and resilience factors, including externalizing symptoms and substance use beliefs, were related to alcohol and cannabis co-use relative to other patterns of use among African-American adolescents. Findings also showed that racial identity exploration was associated with lower risk for concurrent alcohol and cannabis use beyond the influence of traditional factors.

The study, "Traditional risk and cultural protection: Correlates of alcohol and cannabis co-use among African-American adolescents," was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.