Attachment, adolescent competencies, and substance use: Developmental considerations in the study of risk behaviors

Social-control-based deviance theories highlight parental bonding as a prot ective factor for problem behaviors in that bonds are viewed as reflecting the adolescent's adoption of conventional societal attitudes and values. De velopmental theory and research suggest an alternative conceptualization of the linkages between family bonding and adolescent risk behaviors. This co nceptualization requires concurrent examination of a range of adolescent co mpetencies as well as consideration of parent and peer contexts. Support is found for several hypotheses derived from a developmental approach proposi ng: (a) positive associations between adolescent-parent attachment and adol escent competencies-autonomy, peer relationship competency, and coping; (b) coherence in the pattern of negative associations between attachment/compe tencies and substance use problems; and (c) a disjunctive pattern of associ ations with substance use reflected by positive associations with peer comp etencies but not with parental attachment.