Substance use among high school students in relation to school characteristics

This research relates current use by 11th grade students of 17 psychoactive substances and age of first use and intoxication to characteristics of high schools in which they are enrolled. The 2,471 11th grade students surveyed were enrolled in a representative sample of 44 California high schools. Correlations between schools based on twelve characteristics (total 12th grade achievement scores, SES, percent various ethnic groups, etc.) were analyzed by means of a complete linkage cluster analysis. Three clusters of schools were identified. Frequency of use of alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and other substances as well as polydrug use and age of first alcohol use were found to differ significantly between schools in different clusters. In general, substance use was highest in rural or small town, predominantly white high schools with relatively low enrollments, second highest in large, high SES, predominantly white schools, and lowest in large, low SES, predominantly minority high schools. Four hypotheses relating school characteristics and substance use suggested by these findings are proposed.