| It is estimated that about 5% of adolescents meet criteria for a substance use disorder
(“Behavioral health trends”, 2015). Given the high prevalence of substance use in adolescents, it
is important to understand associated risks and protective factors. The primary purpose of the
current study was to evaluate the relationships between parental support of autonomy, selfregulatory
styles, social norms and substance use in a group of junior high and high school
students. A sample of 96 junior high school students were recruited. Students who returned
completed consent and assent forms completed surveys assessing basic demographic variables,
motivation orientation, effortful control, social norms, and substance use. Results suggested that
identified self-regulation was significantly associated with higher rates of effortful control.
Overall, external self-regulation was significantly associated with lower rates of effortful control
as moderated by social norms. More specifically, those who perceived their friends to be
approving of substance use reported significantly lower effortful control compared to those who
did not perceive their friends to be approving of substance use. The hypothesized models of
parental support of autonomy predicting to youth effortful control as mediated by youth
prosocial self-regulatory styles were not significant. Substance use variables were unable to be
examined due to low variability. Implications were reviewed in relation to deepening the
understanding of risk factors for substance use among adolescents.
Key Words: Substance use, Social Norms, Parental Support of Autonomy, Self-Regulatory
Styles, Prosocial Behaviors, Effortful Control, Adolescents. |