Assessing community effects on adolescent substance use and delinquency

Abstract

This study investigates community-level prediction of adolescent substance use and problem behaviors using ratings by community leaders to assess the effects of four risk factors on levels of drug use and problem behaviors. Three questions are examined: (a) Can psychometrically sound measures of community leader perceptions of risk factors in their community be developed?; (b) What is the relationship between community leader ratings of the community and student perceptions of their community?; and (c) How are community leader ratings and student perceptions of the community related to community levels of current student substance use and serious delinquency? Results indicate that community leaders' perceptions of community risk factors demonstrate both internal validity and criterion validity. Community leaders and students demonstrate modest agreement in assessments of community risk factors. Community leaders' ratings of community norms favorable to substance use and community law enforcement permissive of substance use were related to levels of substance use reported by students. Leader ratings of low community attachment, community disorganization, and community law enforcement permissive of substance use were related to community levels of serious delinquency reported by students. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 35: 925–946, 2007.