Parental Messages about Substance Use in Early Adolescence: Extending a Model of Drug-Talk Styles

This study extends a typology of parent-offspring drug talk styles to early adolescents and investigates associations with adolescent substance use. Data come from a self-report survey associated with a school-based, 7th grade drug prevention curriculum. Mixed-methods were used to collect data across four measurement occasions spanning 30 months. Findings highlight frequencies of various drug-talk styles over time (i.e., situated direct, ongoing direct, situated indirect, ongoing indirect, never talked), messages adolescents hear from parents, and comparisons of alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use by drug talk style. This study advances understanding of parent-adolescent communication about substances and holds practical implications for drug prevention efforts