Risk Factors

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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