Parental Solicitation, Parental Control, Child Disclosure and Substance Use: Native and Immigrant Dutch Adolescents

Abstract

Objectives. The present study examined whether the relation of parental solicitation, parental control, and child disclosure with adolescent alcohol and cannabis use is similar for native and non-Western immigrant Dutch adolescents. Design. Questionnaire data from two study-samples were used with a combined sample of 705 adolescents (mean age 16.2 years; 47.2% female; 25.2% non-Western immigrant background). Results. Native Dutch adolescents reported more weekly alcohol use than immigrant adolescents, while rates of cannabis use by native and immigrant adolescents were similar. Immigrant females reported lower levels of parental solicitation and child disclosure, but higher levels of parental control than native females. There were no differences in the sources of parental knowledge between native and immigrant males. Regression analyses showed no significant interaction effects of parental solicitation, parental control, or child disclosure with ethnic background for both alcohol and cannabis use (all p values > .05). Conclusion. Despite mean level differences in various factors, we did not find evidence of an interaction effect of the sources of parental knowledge with ethnic background on alcohol and cannabis use. This suggests that theories and prevention strategies focusing on these sources of parental knowledge in relation to substance use can be applicable to both native and immigrant Dutch adolescents.