Culture as an explanation for substance-related problems: A cross-national study among French and Dutch adolescents

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• 作者：Ronald Arnold Knibbe ; Jan Joosten ; Marie Choquet ; Mieke Derickx ; Delphine Morin ; Karin Monshouwer
• 关键词：Drug policy ; Alcohol-related problems ; Drug-related problems ; Cross cultural differences ; Adolescents ; Informal control ; France ; The Netherlands
• 刊名：Social Science and Medicine
• 出版年：2007
• 出版时间：February 2007
• 年：2007
• 卷：64
• 期：3
• 页码：604-616
• 全文大小：168 K

文摘

Our main goal was to establish whether French and Dutch adolescents differ in rates of substance-related adverse events (e.g. fights, robbery), problems with peers or socializing agents even when controlling for pattern of substance use. For problems with peers and socializing agents due to alcohol we hypothezised that, because of stronger informal control of drinking in France, French adolescents are more likely to report problems with peers and socializing agents. For adverse events due to alcohol no difference was expected after controlling for consumption patterns. For drug-related problems, the hypothesis was that, due to the more restrictive drug policy in France, French adolescents are more likely to report problems with peers, socializing agents and adverse events.

Comparable surveys based on samples of adolescent schoolchildren in France (n=9646) and the Netherlands (n=4291) were used. Data were analysed using multilevel logistic regression in which school, age and gender, indicators of substance use and country were used as predictors of substance-related problems.

The outcomes show that French adolescents are more likely to report problems with peers and socializing agents due to alcohol even when consumption pattern is controlled for. For adverse events due to alcohol no difference was found between French and Dutch adolescents. For drug-related problems the expected differences were found; i.e. French adolescents are more likely to report problems with peers, socializing agents and adverse events even when controlling for pattern of drug use.

It is concluded that there are culturally embedded differences in the rates of some types of problems due to alcohol or drug use. With respect to alcohol use, these differences are most likely due to culturally embedded differences in the informal social control of alcohol use. The differences in rates of drug-related problems are interpreted in the context of national differences in drug policy.