Hispanic adolescent females are at greater risk for substance use than any other minority adolescent female group and demonstrate vulnerability for acculturation stress, ethnic identity conflicts, depression, anxiety, delinquency, and substance use (Alva 1994; National Coalition of Hispanic Health and Human Services Organizations, 1999). This study examined two groups of Mexican American adolescent females and the impact of the mother-daughter relationship, family functioning, ethnic identification and acculturation stress on the use of alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs. The dependent variable was substance use as measured by prevalence ( use in the last 30 days). The independent variables were the mother-daughter relationship, family functioning, ethnic identification, and acculturation stress. The research questions was Does the mother-daughter relationship, the family's functioning, ethnic identification, and acculturation stress have a relationship to substance use for these two groups?

Methodology

Data from a 1999 study on sexual and intimate violence for the Center for Disease Control was used to compare a target quota sample of 150 high risk females with a comparison group of 150 low risk females on four psychometric scales measuring the independent variables. Univariate and bivariate analysis was conducted on the independent and dependent variables. Logistic regression analysis compared the two groups on prevalence of substance use and the independent variables. Selected socio-demographic moderating variables were entered as covariate controls. Effect sizes were calculated where appropriate.

Summary of Results

The high risk group used alcohol, illegal drugs, and tobacco at twice to six times the rate of the low risk group. The high risk group was significantly lower in: (a) support from the mother; (b) family functioning; (c) ethnic identification; and higher in (d) acculturation stress events. The family's functioning and acculturation stress were not predictors of substance use in either group. A positive mother-daughter relationship predicted less use of substances in the groups. Ethnic identity was not a strong predictor of prevalence in either group. No one set of variables was common for the use of the three substances.

Implications for Social Work Practice

These two groups have the same ethnicity and live in the same area of their community, yet they have different rates of substance use and different factors that mediate or promote use. This indicates that there are different factors associated with the use of these substances for each group and different prevention and treatment interventions should be considered for each. Targeting specific populations for specific substances may provide more positive prevention and treatment intervention outcomes. Ethnic identification was not a strong factor in the use of substances among these adolescents. Negative ethnic identity experiences for this San Antonio population may be less than those in a demographically different community and may indicate that ethnic identification is a complex interaction of adolescent experiences and community response. The mother-daughter relationship played a significant role in predicting substance use for these adolescents. This relationship has heightened importance and interventions that support it could assist female adolescents toward successful adulthood.