Residential Greenspace and Urban Adolescent Substance Use: Exploring Interactive Effects with Peer Network Health,...

Area of Science:

• Environmental psychology
• Adolescent substance use research
• Urban health

Background:

• Urban greenspace is linked to mental health, but its impact on substance use is understudied.
• Disadvantaged urban youth face unique risks for substance use.
• Peer networks and executive function (EF) are known factors in adolescent substance use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the moderating role of residential greenspace on substance use among disadvantaged urban youth.
• To investigate interactions between greenspace, peer network health, sex, and EF in substance use models.
• To identify environmental factors influencing adolescent substance use.

Main Methods:

• Study sample: Disadvantaged, urban adolescents and their parents recruited from a U.S. hospital.
• Measurement: Residential greenspace assessed using Google Street View imagery.
• Analysis: Logistic regression models tested moderation effects of greenspace, sex, and EF on peer network health and substance use.

Main Results:

• A protective association between peer network health and reduced substance use was observed only in high greenspace environments.
• This greenspace moderation effect was more pronounced in youth with higher executive function (EF) deficits.
• Greenspace moderation did not differ significantly between sexes.

Conclusions:

• Residential greenspace may buffer negative peer influences on substance use in urban adolescents.
• The interplay between environment and executive function (EF) is crucial in understanding substance use vulnerability.
• Findings support developing targeted interventions that utilize social and environmental factors for adolescent substance use prevention.