Volatile Solvent Use: Patterns by Gender and Ethnicity among School Attenders and Dropouts

Differences in patterns of volatile solvent use were explored with special emphasis on use as related to school enrollment status. The sample included American Indian, Mexican-American and White American youth. Furthermore, three enrollment status categories were identified: dropout, academically at-risk (enrolled), and control. A self report survey was used to assess both level and intensity of volatile solvent use. Findings indicated that a higher proportion of the dropout cohort have used volatile solvents, used volatile solvents regularly, and used volatile solvents with more intensity than either the academically at-risk group or the control group. An interaction between gender and ethnicity was also revealed; American Indian females reported higher lifetime prevalence and thirty-day prevalence than did American Indian males, whereas for both the Mexican-American and White American samples, males report higher rates than females. Findings are discussed in terms of the influence of volatile solvent abuse and school success as well as previous findings