Abstract

The purpose of this study is to estimate the association between sibling drug use and adolescent alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use. Research is conducted using survey data from a probability sample of 4,987 adolescents in grades 9–12 in Utah. To account for the limited frequency of drug use among respondents, Poisson regression is used to estimate models for each type of drug. In support of current literature, findings indicate that having a sibling who uses drugs increases the frequency of drug use substantially, even when peer influences are taken into account. Significant sibling associations with adolescent drug use found in this study support the assumptions of social learning theory. Findings suggest that sibling influence is largely due to social learning, as older sibling influences are demonstratively more significant than younger sibling influences.

Degree

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Sociology

Rights

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