Alcohol and Marijuana Use Behaviors among Latinx Adolescents: The Interplay of Intra- and Inter-Personal Predictive Factors Differ by Gender

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examined the interactive effects of key interpersonal (i.e. parental monitoring) and intrapersonal (i.e. impulsivity) factors on alcohol use frequency, alcohol-related problems, and marijuana use frequency among Latinx youth by gender. It was hypothesized that parental monitoring would moderate the associations between impulsivity and each outcome, and that these findings would differ by gender. For this purpose, a sample of 129 Latinx youth (60% female) completed a series of self-report measures on substance use behaviors and consequences, parental monitoring, and impulsivity. Consistent with hypotheses, parental knowledge moderated the positive association between impulsivity and alcohol-related problems. Consistent with the differential susceptibility model, gender moderated this relation such that, compared to their male counterparts, the relation between impulsivity and alcohol related problems was stronger for female adolescents who reported low levels of parental monitoring and weaker for female teens who endorsed high levels of parental knowledge. This suggests that lack of parental monitoring may be a more important risk factor for Latina girls than Latino boys and that high level of parental monitoring may be more protective for Latina girls than Latino boys. Overall, results highlight the importance of considering the role of gender and gender socialization in our understanding of interpersonal and intrapersonal predictors of substance use among Latinx adolescents. In addition, findings suggest that culturally competent interventions for Latinx youth must also address these key issues.