The role of the father in his son's marijuana use

In order to explore perceived paternal correlates of adolescent marijuana use (both alone and in interaction with perceived maternal correlates), 71 adolescent boys were interviewed with a questionnaire assessing their perception of paternal and maternal warmth, child-centeredness, control through guilt, autonomy, and identification. The results showed users are less likely to perceive their fathers as affectionate and child-centered. The absence of both paternal tolerance in control and maternal affection is also associated with adolescent marijuana use. The results are discussed in terms of the possible impact of the father in the context of the family on the adolescent's marijuana use.