Situational Correlates of Adolescent Substance Use: An Improved Test of the Routine Activity Theory of Deviant Behavior

Ellen De Jong,Wim Bernasco,Marre Lammers

doi:10.1007/s10940-019-09433-w

Abstract

ObjectivesTo test the routine activity theory of deviance, we assess whether adolescents are most likely to use substances while they are involved in unstructured activities, in the presence of peers and in the absence of authority figures. We also test whether these situational factors interact.MethodsA time use instrument was applied to collect hour-by-hour information on activities and substance use from a sample of adolescents. To control for potential confounders, the effects of the three situational factors on substance use were estimated with fixed-effects logit models.ResultsThe findings show that adolescents’ substance use takes place during unstructured activities, when peers are present, and when authority figures are absent, and that these situational factors are not strengthened by each other.ConclusionsSupporting the routine activity theory of deviance, we conclude that unstructured activity, peer presence and absence of authority figures are situational factors that facilitate substance use. In contrast to what the theory proposes, and relevant for parents and professionals, these factors function independently and need not all be present simultaneously for deviant behavior to occur.

Highlights

Substance use among adolescents has been linked to negative physical, social, and psychological consequences (e.g. Gmel et al 2003)
Descriptive statistics on substance use, unstructured activities, presence of peers, and absence of authority figures are presented in Table 1, where person-hours are the units of analysis
Individual differences in adolescents’ substance use have extensively been studied, but less is known about the situations in which they use, or refrain from using, alcohol and drugs

Summary

Introduction

Substance use among adolescents has been linked to negative physical, social, and psychological consequences (e.g. Gmel et al 2003). Early initiation of substance use has been identified as an important marker of later substance use problems (Behrendt et al 2009; King and Chassin 2007; Lynskey et al 2003). These findings highlight the importance of understanding the etiology of substance use among adolescents. To explain what situations facilitate or provoke deviant behavior (e.g. substance use), the routine activity theory of deviance (Osgood et al 1996) has been the dominant perspective in the literature. The theory identifies three situational elements that influence deviant behavior: unstructured activities, presence of peers, and absence of authority figures (Osgood et al 1996)

Objectives

Results

Conclusion