Caregiver Monitoring May be More Important than Placement Setting
Caregiver Monitoring May be More Important than Placement Setting in Preventing Substance Use in Maltreated Youth
Past research has indicated maltreated youth are more likely than their non-maltreated peers to live in poverty, experience academic problems and exhibit social skills deficits. Each of these domains is associated with a greater likelihood of substance use. However, even though numerous studies have documented the finding that substance use is more common for maltreated than nonmaltreated youth, until recently, research has not produced national estimates of substance use in the latter population. In addition, this begs an important question: If maltreated youth are at increased risk for substance use, what are the characteristics associated with different levels of substance use within this population? The present research examined these two domains.
The authors used data from The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), which sampled a population of youth aged 11 to 15, caregivers, teachers, and child welfare workers in 97 counties in 36 states. Face-to-face interviews were conducted 3 to 6 months after the initial maltreatment investigation, and the total sample ranged from 912 youth to 1,116 youth (depending on the variable under investigation). Seventy-one percent of the youth reported no substance use, while moderate use was reported by 20%, and high levels of use was reported by 6%. However, despite the large, nationally representative sample, it is important to note that substance use was based on self-report, and thus, some youth may have underreported usage if concerned about the consequences of answering in a truthful manner. Likewise, the authors note that it must be kept in mind that the average age in this sample was 12.7 years, and substance use is typically greater for older youth.
With regard to the characteristics associated with different levels of substance use, results indicated that conduct problems were significantly associated with higher rates of substance use, although substance use did not vary by school engagement or academic achievement. In addition, youth reporting little to no substance use were more likely to report high levels of parental monitoring and supervision, as well as caregiver relatedness; that is, the extent to which an adolescent feels trusted and cared for. Interestingly, no association was found between caregiver substance use and adolescent substance use, and perhaps most surprisingly, placement type and youth substance abuse were also unrelated. That is, substance use did not depend on whether the youth was living in the home or in an out-of-home placement. Thus, the authors note that what occurs in the context of a placement, such as caregiver monitoring, is more important than the actual setting itself and supervision should be emphasized with all caregivers.
Past research has indicated that for Hispanic youth, substance abuse prevention programs are most effective when paired with a strong family component. The authors note that their findings suggest that this finding may extend to maltreated youth as well.
Wall, A. E., & Kohl, K. L. (2007). Substance use in maltreated youth: Findings from the National Survey of Child and
adolescent Well-Being. Child Maltreatment, 12, 20-30.
