摘要：Objectives . We examined the association between adolescent alcohol and drug use and 9 youth assets in a low-income, inner-city population. Methods . An in-person survey of 1350 adolescents and parents assessed youth assets and risk behaviors. We analyzed data with χ2 tests and logistic regression analyses. Results . When we controlled for appropriate variables, there were significant positive relationships between several youth assets and nonuse of alcohol and drugs. Furthermore, youths who possessed all of the statistically significant youth assets were 4.44 times more likely to report nonuse of alcohol and 5.41 times more likely to report nonuse of drugs compared with youths who possessed fewer youth assets. Conclusions . Our study supports the view that specific youth assets may protect youths from alcohol and drug use. One hundred thousand deaths per year in the United States are associated with alcohol consumption. 1 Alcohol is the most frequently used mind-altering substance among adolescents, and alcohol-related problems are common among youths. 2, 3 Moreover, for those who begin drinking at age 14 years or earlier, approximately 40% experience problems with alcohol dependency at some point in their lives. 4 Illegal drug use among adolescents more than doubled between 1992 and 1997, from 5.3% to 11.4%. 5 In addition to its propensity to result in health problems adolescent drug abuse is associated with other types of unhealthy behaviors. 6 In recent years, efforts to reduce adolescent risk behaviors have focused on viewing youths as resources instead of potential problems. 7, 8 Viewing youths as resources provides them with an environment that encourages positive growth and development, despite potential adversity. 7 This focus on positive youth development has promoted a research and program approach that links risk reduction with simultaneous efforts to increase protective factors—or assets —such as achievement-focused values, positive peer role models, and close ties to caring adults. 9, 10 The youth development approach is constructed from an accumulation of empirical research in adolescent behaviors, and it incorporates social constructs that may prevent selected risk behaviors, such as drug and alcohol abuse and delinquency, as well as promotes positive outcomes and resiliency. 11 Furthermore, an asset perspective emphasizes aspects of socialization that are significant in adolescent development (e.g., family interaction, peer support, and school environment). 11 Emerging research and empirical evidence suggest that specific protective assets may indeed insulate adolescents from engaging in certain risk behaviors. For example, in a study of 6000 youths in grades 6 through 12, researchers found that assets accounted for 10% to 43% of the variance in “thriving indicators” (e.g., school success, overcoming adversity, and helping others) beyond the contributions of demographic variables. 12 Another study linked specific youth assets with the nonuse of tobacco. 13 Although only a few studies have examined the relationship between youth asset and alcohol and drug use, some youth alcohol and drug studies have examined the influence of factors closely related to the youth asset concept. For example, research has found that peer pressure and parental influences are associated with youth alcohol and drug use, 14, 15 and successful prevention programs, such as the Life Skills Training Program 16– 18 and Project Star, 19, 20 indirectly have incorporated some youth asset concepts into their prevention efforts. Most of the published research on youth development has focused on a limited number of youth assets or related concepts, and few studies have examined multiple positive influences and how these might prevent alcohol and drug use among youths. The purpose of our study was to examine the relationship between 9 youth assets and alcohol and drug use in a community sample of adolescents and their parents. We hypothesized that youths who had 1 or more of the assets would be significantly less likely to engage in alcohol and drug use. Demographic factors—youth age, gender, and race/ethnicity; parental income and education; and family structure—that may be related to alcohol and drug abuse also were evaluated.
