The association of self-reported neighborhood disorganization and social capital with adolescent alcohol and drug use, dependence, and access to treatment
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Volume 92, Issues 1-3, 1 January 2008, Pages 173-182



This research examines adolescent perceptions of neighborhood disorganization and social capital to determine if they are associated with adolescent alcohol or drug (AOD) use, AOD dependence, and access to AOD treatment.

Neighborhood disorganization was self-reported by youth in response to eight items; 10 items measured social capital. AOD use was also self-reported. AOD dependence was assessed by a series of questions regarding symptoms and impairment that is consistent with the criteria specified in the DSM-IV.

A little more than half of the youth reported never using alcohol or drugs (54.3%), 41.1% reported lifetime AOD use, and 4.6% were AOD dependent. Two percent reported receiving AOD treatment.

Medium and high levels of social capital were negatively associated with AOD use and dependence. Social capital was unrelated to access to AOD treatment.

Neighborhood disorganization was positively associated with AOD use, dependence, and access to treatment After controlling for individual- and family-level characteristics, neighborhood disorganization and social capital were associated with AOD use and dependence.

The findings suggest that subjective measures of social context may be an important component of the complex biopsychosocial model of adolescent AOD addiction and treatment utilization.

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