DEPRESSION, SUICIDAL IDEATION, AND SUBSTANCE USE AMONG CONTINUATION HIGH-SCHOOL-STUDENTS

This study examines the structural relationships among depression, sui cidal ideation, ''gateway'' substance use (including cigarettes, alcoh ol, and marijuana), and ''hard'' substance use (including cocaine, sti mulants, and inhalants) in a sample of continuation high school studen ts at high risk for drug abuse. When the model was examined separately by ethnic group (Latino and Caucasian) and gender, significant differ ences among the factor correlations emerged. Compared to Latinos and f emales, Caucasians and males, respectively, demonstrated a greater num ber of significant relationships among the factors. For Latinos and fe males, only the depression and suicidal ideation factors were signific antly correlated with each other, as were the gateway and hard substan ce use factors. For Caucasians and males, four of the sir factors were significantly intercorrelated. One implication is that mood enhanceme nt may be a particularly important reason for hard substance use among Caucasian and male adolescents.