Religious Social Support Protects against Social Risks for Adolescent Substance Use

J Res Adolesc. 2020 Jun;30(2):361-371. doi: 10.1111/jora.12529. Epub 2019 Aug 30.

Abstract

We used a social developmental perspective to identify how prominent social contexts influence substance use during adolescence. Longitudinal data were collected annually from 167 parent-adolescent dyads over four years. We investigated whether parent substance use was related to adolescent substance use directly and indirectly via peer substance use and whether these associations were moderated by religious social support. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis indicated significant moderated mediation: Greater parent substance use predicted increases in adolescent substance use indirectly via increased peer substance use when adolescent religious social support was low or average, but not high. These results suggest religious social support may protect adolescents against prominent social risks for intergenerational substance use.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Middle Aged
  • Parents / psychology
  • Peer Influence
  • Protective Factors
  • Religion*
  • Risk Factors
  • Social Support*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / prevention & control*