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Risk Factors
Environmental Risk Factors • Economic and social deprivation • Social isolation • Neighborhood and community disorganization • Transition and mobility especially between elementary, middle and high schools • Community laws and norms favorable toward use • Availability at home, school, neighborhood Developmental Risk Factors • Family history of alcoholism/addiction quadruples risk of becoming addicted • Family management problems • Early antisocial behavior combined with withdrawal and/or hyperactivity • Parental drug use or positive attitude towards use • Academic failure not tied to ability, especially in mid to late elementary school • Little commitment to school • Alienation, rebelliousness, lack of social bonding • Antisocial behavior in early adolescence; juvenile delinquency behavior precedes drug abuse, fighting and general aggressiveness • Friends who use drugs is one of the strongest predictors • Favorable attitude toward drug use • Early first use of drugs prior to age 15-twice the risk of addiction Community Risk Factors • Availability of drugs • Availability of firearms • Community laws and norms favorable toward drug use, firearms, and crime • Media portrayals of violence • Transition and mobility • Low neighborhood attachment and community disorganization David Hawkins, Richard Califnao, D.M. Lisher, University of Washington, 1986 |
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