Caregiver predictors of adolescent inhalant abuse in rural Appalachia

To explore caregiver correlates of adolescent inhalant abuse.

Youth were surveyed about inhalant use. Caregivers were surveyed about demographics, behaviors, family environment, perceptions of parent/ adolescent interaction, coping strategies, caregiver monitoring of youth and self-reported substance use. Multiple logistic regression with backward elimination was used.

Of the 218 dyads recruited, 94% of the youth inhalant and inhalant non-users were correctly classified using a model constructed from independent variables.

We believe that parent-based educational training services should be studied that provide information about inhalant abuse and encourage open communication, adaptive coping, and adequate monitoring skills.