Publication Date
5-1-2010
Abstract
This paper focuses on explaining the significant relationship between family structure and adolescent drug abuse. Significant differences in drug abuse frequency and patterns among adolescents living in two-parent, step-parent, and single-parent households does not show to be directly related to family structure, but rather attributable to the variation of social controls and family processes that occur among the diverse types of households. My thesis is that adolescents living in two-biological-parent households will be less likely to participate in drug abuse than adolescents living in one-parent or step-parent households because there is more supervision and monitoring as well as a better likelihood of closer bonds between the child and parent in twoparent families. The two mediating factors proven to best explain the link between family structure and drug abuse in adolescents are direct and indirect parental control (Demuth and Brown 2004), although indirect parental control seems to be more of a predictor (Choquet et al. 2008). In this paper, the following background section will give some explanations of various family types, a few definitions, and the topic’s sociological relevance.
Recommended Citation
Corsetti, Maureen
(2010)
"The Indirect Effects of Family Structure on Drug Use in Adolescents,"
Perspectives: Vol. 2, Article 7.
Available at:
https://scholars.unh.edu/perspectives/vol2/iss1/7