Despite these limitations, our study suggests that pathways from parental problematic substance use to adolescent substance use are largely similar for males, females, racial/ethnic groups, and adolescents who live with either both or a single parent. In combination with previous research, our study suggests that prevention efforts aimed at reducing or delaying the initiation of adolescent substance use should focus on adolescents at high risk for use, including those who perceive high problematic parental substance use, and low closeness and monitoring. Screening programs should be established to identify these adolescents. Parental prevention programs aimed at increasing positive parenting skills (e.g., Dishion & Kavanagh, 2003), such as increasing closeness and effective monitoring, could also be implemented to decrease the likelihood of adolescent substance use.
