S. Boles et al., ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG-USE PATTERNS AMONG MEXICAN-AMERICAN, MEXICAN, AND CAUCASIAN ADOLESCENTS - NEW DIRECTIONS FOR ASSESSMENT AND RESEARCH, Journal of clinical child psychology, 23(1), 1994, pp. 39-46
Examined substance abuse rates among subgroups of Mexican-American stu
dents by comparing alcohol and drug use rates of Mexican-American adol
escents born in the United States to those of Mexican-American student
s born in Mexico and to Caucasian students attending the same schools.
A total of 3,404 ninth- and 11th-grade students were surveyed using t
he California Substance Use Survey (Skager, Austin, & Firth, 1991; Ska
ger, Firth, & Maddahian, 1989). It was found that Mexican females abst
ain the most from drug and alcohol use. Mexican males also reported lo
wer drug and alcohol use than their Mexican-American and Caucasian cou
nterparts, who had similar rates of alcohol use. In terms of preventio
n and intervention, Caucasian ninth graders reported the highest perce
ntages receiving a substance abuse prevention program for at least par
t of a semester. Mexican-American students, however, were more likely
to report not having received any prevention programming in school. Im
plications for assessment and prevention are discussed.