Multivariate family factors in lifetime and current marijuana use among American Indian and white adolescents residing on or near reservations

- Family factors served as sources of risk and protection for lifetime and current marijuana use.
- Some differences but more similarities between American Indian and white youth.
- Important to incorporate families as sources of protection against uptake, current marijuana use.

BackgroundRates of marijuana use are consistently high among reservation-based American Indian adolescents. The roles of family are unique in this ethnic group and can serve as sources of both risk and protection for substance use.PurposeTo assess the relationships between distal and proximal family factors and lifetime and current marijuana use among American Indian and white middle and high school students who attend the same schools on or near reservations.MethodsIn-school surveys were administered to 3380 American Indian and 1562 white students from 35 middle schools and 17 high schools regarding levels of marijuana use and family characteristics. Three logistic regression models (Control, Control + Distal; Control + Distral + Proximal) estimated effects of multiple family variables on lifetime and current marijuana use.Results: Strong effects were found for family structure, parental monitoring, family conflict, and family sanctions against marijuana use. Weaker effects were found for family participation in school events, and no relationship was found for family communication about marijuana. Anumber of similar results were found across ethnicity and middle and high school students.ConclusionsFamily variables exert strong and largely consistent effects across reservation-based American Indian and white youth on lifetime and current marijuana use. Interventions that include a broad range of targeted family components may serve to both limit uptake and forestall increases in adolescent marijuana use in these two groups.