Family Factors and Mediators of Substance Use Among African American Adolescents

This study uses a sample of 424 African American 8th- and 12th-grade students (mean age = 16.55; 65.1% girls) in the United States to examine how family protective factors explain cultural and school protective factors that prevent substance use. Questionnaires were administered between 2007 and 2009. Using structural equation modeling, results indicated that cultural and school factors partially mediated the relationship between family factors and lifetime substance use. School factors fully mediated the relationship between cultural factors and lifetime substance use. The findings suggest that parents promote cultural attributes, which in turn promotes school achievement, and in turn contributes to lower substance use. Limitations of the study, and implications for future research and prevention programs are discussed.