RISK-FACTORS FOR SUBSTANCE USE BY MEXICAN-AMERICAN YOUTH WITH AND WITHOUT LEARNING-DISABILITIES

This survey study was designed to (a) investigate the prevalence of mi nor and major substance use among low socioeconomic status elementary and middle school Mexican American students identified with learning d isabilities (LD; n = 150) and without LD (n = 150), and (b) identify p sychosocial and environmental risk factors that may lead to the use of various substances among both non-learning disabled (non-LD) students and students with LD in an all-Mexican American sample. No difference s were found in the use of substances between the two groups. Risk fac tors that were found to influence the use of minor substances for stud ents identified as learning disabled, as opposed to the non-LD student s, included use of substances by close friends and susceptibility to p eer influence. Risk factors that were found to affect the use of major substances for students identified as learning disabled, as opposed t o the non-LD students, included the number of minor substances used an d stressful life events. Findings are discussed in the context of diff ering pathways leading to the use of substances for non-LD students an d students with LD within an intraethnic group study.