A Two-year Study of Patterns and Predictors of Substance Use Among Mexican American Youth

This study investigated the incidence and patterns of substance use in a school-age population, as well as predictive risk factors that may play an important role in understanding its initiation. Low socioeconomic status Mexican American fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students were surveyed for two consecutive years in order to obtain information on their substance use and its relationship to specific demographic, environmental, and psychological risk factors. Results capture patterns of substance use among this population over the two years, as well as the relationship between reported risk factors in year one and the use of minor and major substances in year two.