PRIMARY SOCIALIZATION THEORY - THE ROLE PLAYED BY PERSONAL TRAITS IN THE ETIOLOGY OF DRUG-USE AND DEVIANCE - II

Primary socialization theory proposes that drug use and deviant behavi ors emerge from interactions with the primary socialization sources-th e family, the school, and peer clusters. The theory further postulates that the individual's personal characteristics and personality traits do not directly relate to drug use and deviance, but, in nearly all c ases, influence those outcomes only when they affect the interactions between the individual and the primary socialization sources. Interpre tation of research results from the point of view of primary socializa tion theory suggests the following: 1) Characteristics such as depress ion, anxiety, and low self-esteem are related to drug use and deviance only when they have strong effects on the primary socialization proce ss, i.e., among younger children; 2) Traits such as anger, aggression, and sensation seeking are related to drug use and deviance because th ese traits are more likely to influence the primary socialization proc ess at all ages; 3) The psychopathologies that are least likely to int erfere with bonding with prosocial socialization sources, the anxietie s and most of the affective disorders, are less likely to have comorbi dity drug dependence; and 4) Psychopathologies such as oppositional di sorder, conduct disorder, attention deficit disorder, and antisocial p ersonality are more likely to interfere with primary socialization, an d the literature shows that these syndromes are also most likely to ha ve a dual diagnosis with drug dependency.