NCJ Number
229514
Journal
Journal of Drug Education Volume: 39 Issue: 3 Dated: 2009 Pages: 289-301
Date Published
2009
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined the effect of adolescent protective behavior as potential strategy to reduce adolescent risk-taking and injury.
Abstract
Typically adolescents' friends are considered a risk factor for adolescent engagement in risk-taking. This study took a more novel approach, by examining adolescent friendship as a protective factor. In particular, it investigated friends' potential to intervene to reduce risk-taking. Five-hundred-forty adolescents (mean age 13.47 years) were asked about their intention to intervene to reduce friends' alcohol, drug, and alcohol-related harms and about psychosocial factors potentially associated with intervening. More than half indicated that they would intervene in friends' alcohol, drug use, alcohol-related harms, and interpersonal violence. Intervening was associated with being female, having friends engage in overall less risk-taking and having greater school connectedness. The findings provide an important understanding of increasing adolescent protective behavior as a potential strategy to reduce alcohol and drug-related harms. Table and references (Published Abstract)