Assessing high-risk youth in an early stage of drug use: Linking child behavior and family functioning

The purpose of this study was to identify a configurative pattern of child behavior and family functioning variables which might discriminate high risk youth in an early stage of drug use from clinical and normal youth who deny drug use. The sample was comprised of 71 youth ranging from 12 to 16 years of age and 69 mothers. The sample was characterized as economically disadvantaged minority families residing in a large metropolitan area. Assignment to the control, clinical control, and high risk early stage of drug use groups was based on the youth's clinical status and frequency of alcohol and drug use. Subjects in the youth sample responded to the Youth Self-Report and the Family Assessment Device. Subjects in the mother sample responded to the Child Behavior Checklist and the Family Assessment Device. A discriminate analysis of the youth sample data produced a configurative pattern comprised of more family problem solving difficulties, more internalizing behavior problems, more externalizing behavior problems, and problems with family affective responsiveness which separated the high risk in an early stage of drug use group from the clinical control and control groups. A discriminate analysis of the mother sample produced a configurative pattern comprised of more internalizing behavior problems which separated the high risk in an early stage of drug use group from the clinical control and control groups. The identified configurative pattern of youth behavior and family functioning variables was interpreted within family systems model. It was suggested that the interactive pattern may help maintain the drug using behavior in high risk youth. The study's limitations were identified. Implications for future research were addressed.