Gender Differences in Risk and Protective Factors for Alcohol Use and Substance Use Problems among Hispanic Adolescents

Abstract

This study investigates gender differences within the context of risk and protective factors for alcohol use and substance use problems in a sample of 8,992 Hispanic students in grades 6 through 12, who responded to a statewide survey of alcohol and other drug use. The effects of gender, grade, and risk and protective factors on past-month alcohol use, binge drinking, and risk for substance use problems are examined. Results show that outcomes were moderated by gender, such that females had greater predicted probabilities than males for alcohol use, binge drinking, and risk for substance use problems across levels of risk and protective factors. An ecological framework is applied to speculate why Hispanic female adolescents were more vulnerable than their males to problem alcohol use.