Parental Influences on Inhalant Use by Children

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Abstract
Characteristics of the parents of Mexican American drug users were examined. Interviews with 78 mothers showed that a large percentage were not following the traditional path of marriage, childbirth, and caring for their children at home on a full-time basis. Adherence to traditional roles was related to the mother's age, education, alcohol use, depression, and her child 's depression, but was not related to heroin druguse, criminality, or home environment. In addition, traditional behaviors were not related to her husband 's criminality, alcohol, and drug use, nor to her child's criminality and drug use. Indicators of household stability -such as the parents 'marital status, full employmentfor the father; and absence of maternal depression -were related to the child's use of drugs and related problems.