Do parents and school matter? Protective factors for adolescent substance use

Protective factors may promote successful development by neutralizing the effects of negative risk factors. This paper is focused on possible protective factors of adolescent substance in a sample of high school students (N = 881) in Szeged, Hungary. Data were collected in 2008. Self-administered questionnaires were applied that measured smoking, binge drinking, marijuana use and parental and school-related protective factors. Multiple regression analysis revealed that parental monitoring was a universal protective factor for adolescents. Acceptance and respect of parents' values may serve as a protection against binge drinking among adolescents. High academic achievement was a predictor of smoking and binge drinking, talking about problems with teachers and being happy with school were predictors of marijuana use. Future research is needed to clarify the altered role of parent–child relationship in adolescents' substance use.