Associations between Family Factors and Youth Substance Use Across the Rural-Urban Continuum: A...

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Health
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Limited research exists on the combined effects of family dynamics and geographic setting on adolescent substance use.
• Understanding these influences is crucial for developing targeted prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct profiles of family risk and protective factors among youth.
• To examine the predictive power of these family profiles and geographic location (rurality) on substance use.
• To investigate potential interactions between family profiles and rurality in influencing substance use.

Main Methods:

• A person-/variable-centered approach was employed using data from a statewide survey of 9,104 U.S. youth.
• Latent profile analysis identified subgroups based on family risk and protective factors.
• Statistical analyses tested profile membership and rurality as predictors of lifetime and 30-day substance use.

Main Results:

• Four distinct latent profiles of family factors emerged, with varying levels of substance use risk.
• The profile characterized by high protective and low risk family factors showed the lowest substance use risk.
• Urban youth reported higher odds of lifetime marijuana use than suburban youth, but geographic location had limited impact on other substances.

Conclusions:

• Family functioning is a critical determinant of youth substance use, irrespective of geographic location.
• Prevention programs should focus on reducing family-level risks and enhancing protective factors.
• Accessible, evidence-based interventions are needed across diverse communities to mitigate youth substance use.