Relationship Between Physical and Sexual Abuse and Tobacco, Alcohol, and Illicit Drug Use Among Youths in a Juvenile Detention Center

• NCJ Number: 157355
• Journal: International Journal of the Addictions Volume: 23 Issue: 4 Dated: (1988) Pages: 351-378
• Author(s): R Dembo; M Dertke; S Borders; M Washburn; J Schmeidler
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 28 pages
• Grant Number(s): 85-CJ-1B-08-39-05-402
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC

Annotation

This study examined the degree to which physical abuse and sexual victimization relate to the use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs among a sample of at-risk youths, both male and female, temporarily housed in a juvenile detention center.

Abstract

The results, based on data obtained from self-report instruments, supported the proposition that child sexual and physical abuse is positively related to high rates of illicit drug use. The youths' history of victimization related significantly only to their lifetime use of illicit drugs. The findings showed that black youths claimed less involvement in tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use than their white counterparts. However, there were no significant ethnic group differences in physical abuse, sexual victimization, or the prevalence of certain emotional and psychological problems. 6 tables, 2 figures, and 50 references