About this srcd poster session

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Panel information
Panel 17. Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Abstract

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Alcohol and marijuana use among adolescents in the U.S. has significant costs, including
accidental deaths, healthcare expenses, and lost productivity. Although adolescents’ alcohol use
has generally declined, those who engage in alcohol use at an early age remain at risk for various
negative outcomes including higher risk of dependency in adulthood (Hingson et al., 2006).
Additionally, the rising trend of marijuana use among adolescents in the U.S. warrants attention
(Miech et al., 2024).
Neighborhood risk factors—such as disorder, unemployment, and violence—are relatively
underexplored in relation to adolescent substance use. This research is particularly important
among ethnic minorities due to the historical significance of structural factors (Chartier et al.,
2017). Theories such as self-derogation, socialization, and social learning illustrate how
neighborhood environments influence substance use (Dembo et al., 1986). Adolescents may
normalize substance use when exposed to alcohol outlets or neighbors who drink. Fairman et al.
(2020) found that adolescents in disadvantaged neighborhoods, characterized by higher
unemployment and poverty, were more likely to binge drink; however, neighborhood
disadvantage did not relate to binge drinking in adulthood, suggesting that adolescents may adopt
local behaviors to navigate risks. Furthermore, some research indicates that perceived
community violence is associated to greater alcohol use (Cornelius et al., 2016), while others
suggest actual crime rates may discourage alcohol use in high-risk areas (Fairman et al., 2020).
This study investigates gender differences in the relations between neighborhood risk and
substance use. Prior research has revealed mixed results regarding potential gender differences in
the association between neighborhood risks and adolescents' substance use (e.g., Cambron et al.,
2018; Leifheit et al., 2015; Matheson et al., 2011; Nargiso et al., 2013). Therefore, we will keep
the hypothesis exploratory. The study will use both perceived self-reported neighborhood risks
and census tract data to assess neighborhood disadvantage, contributing to the literature on
subjective and objective measures of neighborhood risk. Thus, the relations among perceived
neighborhood risks, census-level disadvantage, and adolescents’ alcohol and marijuana use will
be examined, with attention to potential gender variations (see Figure 1).
Data are drawn from the third wave of a longitudinal cohort study involving 726 ethnically and
economically diverse 10th-grade students in central Texas. The sample includes 54% girls and
46% boys, with 41% identifying as White, 34% Latina/o, 12% biracial/multiracial, 8% Asian

American, and 5% Black. Perceived neighborhood risk was assessed using an 11-item scale
(Supple et al., 2006), alcohol use with a 3-item measure (AUDIT-C; Bush, 1998), and marijuana
use with a single-item (Johnston et al., 1987). Census geocoding (U.S. Census, 2024) will be
used to gather neighborhood data on poverty and unemployment. Regression analyses will be
conducted using structural equation modeling in Mplus and multigroup analyses will examine
gender differences. Preliminary correlations suggest potential gender variations in the relations
between neighborhood risk and substance use (see Table 1). The final results will inform how
living in risky and disadvantaged neighborhoods may contribute to adolescent alcohol and
marijuana use, which can help inform intervention programs.

Author information

Author	Role
Kiera Coulter, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin	Presenting author
Briana Lopez, M.A., The University of Texas at Austin	Non-presenting author
Jennifer Velasco, B.A., California State University, Fresno	Non-presenting author
Farin Bakhtiari, Ph.D., California State University, Fresno	Non-presenting author
Aprile D. Benner, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin	Non-presenting author

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