Interplay of Network Position and Peer Substance Use in Early Adolescent Cigarette, Alcohol and Marijuana Use

Kimberly Kobus1 and David B. Henry1 Abstract Network position (isolate, member and liaison), peer-group substance use, and their interaction were examined as predictors of cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use in a sample of 163 urban sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. Two measures of peer substance use were compared: one based on social network analysis (SNA), the other on perceptions of use. Results varied by substance. For cigarettes, network position and the interaction between position and peer-group use predicted use in the model using SNA to measure peer use. Liaisons were most likely to smoke, but isolates’ and members’ smoking was Read More …