Parent-child communication is a potentially modifiable protective factor of adolescent substance use (DeVore &Ginsburg, 2005). Substantial literature indicates that greater frequency and quality of general parent-child communication are negatively associated with adolescent substance use (Kafka & London, 1991; Stoker & Swadi, 1990). For instance, Ackard, Neumark-Sztainer, Story, and Perry (2006) found that perceived difficulty talking to parents about problems is associated with increased risk of substance use in both boys and girls. Based on children’s self-reports, Cohen, Richardson and LaBree (1994) suggested that the amount of time parents spend with their children and the frequency of parent-child communication are both associated with reduced risks for tobacco onset and alcohol use in the past month. Consistent with these findings, enhancing parent-child communication is a common target in substance use interventions for adolescents (Beatty, Cross, & Shaw, 2008; Kosterman, Hawkins, Spoth, Haggerty, & Zhu,1997; Litrownik et al., 2000; Shortt, Hutchinson, Chapman, & Toumbourou, 2007).
