FAMILY SUPPORT DECREASES INFLUENCE OF DEVIANT PEERS ON HISPANIC ADOLESCENTS SUBSTANCE USE

Investigated the interplay of family support and peer modeling on adol escent alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use and gang involvement within an ecosystemic model. The predominantly Hispanic sample of 236 eighth -grade students attended a public middle school in a high-density, imp overished Miami neighborhood, characterized by high rates of criminal activity, substance abuse, and other stressors, placing the adolescent s at risk for negative developmental outcomes. The participants report ed the level of perceived social support they received from family mem bers and rates of drug use and gang involvement for themselves and for peers. The results showed that family social support reduced the infl uence of deviant peers on some of the problem behaviors reported by th ese adolescents, specifically tobacco and marijuana use. Deviant peer modeling was strongly associated with levels of adolescent problem beh avior for tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use and gang involvement.