Peer isolation and drug use among white non-hispanic and Mexican American adolescents

The social-emotional characteristics and drug-use patterns of adolescents w ho reported having no friends (i.e., isolates) were compared to those of ad olescents in drug-using and non-drug-using peer groups. Adolescents who did not have drug-using peers reported the lowest drug use and those with drug -using peers had the highest drug use, with adolescents who were isolated f alling in between. Isolated youth reported more shyness, greater feelings o f alienation, and lower social acceptance than did those in the other group s. Isolated youth also reported more anger and depression than did youth wi th non-drug-using peers, but less anger and equivalent depression when comp ared to adolescents with drug-using peers. Results are discussed in terms o f social-emotional characteristics of isolated youth and risk/protective fa ctors.