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Father absence, perceived family characteristics and stage of drug use in adolescence
Author(s) -
Brook Judith S.,
Whiteman Martin,
Gordon Ann Scovell
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
british journal of developmental psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 2044-835X
pISSN - 0261-510X
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-835x.1985.tb00958.x
Subject(s) - psychology , developmental psychology , association (psychology) , drug , clinical psychology , psychiatry , psychotherapist
The purpose of this investigation was to examine the interplay of paternal absence and family characteristics and its association with the adolescent's stage of drug use. Five hundred white male and female high school students participated in the study. Results indicated that youngsters from father‐absent homes are more likely to report higher stages of drug use than are those from father‐present homes. In addition, the findings supported a mediational model in which the absence of the father seems to influence parents' behaviour towards the child and towards each other, which in turn results in the youngster's being at a higher stage of drug use.