Citation

Cho S, Norman L. Subst. Use Misuse 2019; 54(5): 796-810.

Affiliation

Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice , University of North Carolina Pembroke , Pembroke , NC.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10826084.2018.1543326

PMID

30596307

Abstract

This study examines the impact of social control measures (e.g. parental attachment and prosocial peer attachment) on marijuana use among adolescents who were pure bullies, pure victims, and bully-victims. Data from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children survey was utilized and consisted of a nationwide cross-section of 12,642 adolescents.

RESULTS revealed that adolescents who were pure bullies and bully-victims were more likely to use marijuana. Additionally, parental and peer attachments were significant in decreasing the likelihood of marijuana use for two of the bullying statuses (pure bullies and bully-victims). Further, the social control measures partially mediated the relationship between two of the bullying statuses and marijuana use despite having no significant relation of bullying victimization to marijuana use. Considering that parental and peer attachments had significant and direct effects on adolescent marijuana use in the predicted (inverse) direction, prevention programs should focus on building and strengthening these relationships as a means of reducing deviant behaviors such as marijuana use among adolescents.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescent marijuana use; bullying; social control theory; statistical mediation testing