Research & Resources

Researchers in this study examined the factors involved in substances use (SU) among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NH/PI) adolescents and how to prevent it. They investigated the effect of ecological risk and protective factors at the individual, family, and school levels on SU for NH/PI adolescents. This prospective study utilized longitudinal data from 120 NH/PI adolescents who were part of an SU prevention program. Information was collected at two time points and the parents of the adolescents also provided data; all information was self-reported. Positive academic attitudes reported at Time 1 were negatively associated with alcohol and other drug use reported at Time 2. Specifically, NH/PI adolescents who reported more positive attitudes toward their school, peers, and teachers reported less alcohol and other SU. The researchers theorized that prevention efforts might be most effective for NH/PI adolescents if addressed within the school context. This may include implementing programs in schools, utilizing teachers as role models, and/or promoting prosocial peer relationships to support positive behaviors.
This paper, “Examining risk and protective predictors of substance use among low-income Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adolescents,” was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and published in The American journal of orthopsychiatry.