Patterns of Violence Exposure and Substance Use among Child Welfare Involved Youth

Emerging research suggests an association between exposure to violence, specifically indirect forms, and substance use among youth involved in the child welfare (CW) system. However, this has only been recently and tentatively explored. This study examined the associations among various forms of indirect violence exposure and substance use among subgroups of youth involved in the CW system. The analytic sample consisted of participants (aged 11 years or older) in the baseline year of the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (2008-2012), including youth and their caregivers. Latent class analysis was used to examine associations among distinct forms of indirect violence exposure and substance use and the potential identification of unique at-risk groups. Models for the overall sample suggested two classes of at-risk youth, with the higher-risk class having higher probabilities of alcohol, marijuana, and hard drug use, which coincided with higher probabilities of exposure to arrests, stealing, drug deals, and weapon use. However, stratified models suggested unique results for youth aged 13-14 and 15-17, suggesting that the confluence of these risks appears to differ developmentally. Prevention and intervention services for CW-involved youth should assess and address violence exposure types among youth as a potential opportunity to mitigate substance use and subsequent high-risk behavior.