Contextual Effects and Adolescent Substance Use: Exploring the Role of Neighborhoods

Objective. The purpose of this article is to explore the additive and moderating effects of neighborhood context on substance use among youth. Methods. Using a regional sample of adolescents and matching the data to Census tracts, we use hierarchical linear modeling to examine the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and neighborhood instability on alcohol and marijuana use while controlling for individual, family, and peer characteristics. Results. For both alcohol and marijuana use measures, we find neighborhood disadvantage has a consistent negative direct effect; adolescents living in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods have lower rates of use. In addition, neighborhood disadvantage moderates the effect of a key individual risk factor. Specifically, we find living in areas with higher neighborhood disadvantage reduces the effect of deviant peers on adolescent substance use. Conclusions. Findings, while showing effects of neighborhood disadvantage, are inconsistent with the typical neighborhood disorganization framework. We discuss the implications of our findings for ongoing research on neighborhood contextual effects and adolescent behaviors.