The social ecology model of drug use and delinquency among Thai adolescents

This research study aimed to test a theoretical model of the hypothesized precursors of delinquency and drug use in Thai delinquent youth. The Social Ecology Model of substance abuse and delinquency among Thai adolescents was developed based on the Social Ecology Model of Adolescent Substance Abuse and Delinquency with an inclusion of the family acculturation conflict variable.;The study involved recruiting 500 youth (13 to 18 years old) from the Observation and Protection Center in Bangkok and delinquency centers in the four other regions of Thailand. A testing battery for the survey included standardized test items that matched the hypothesized mediator variables in the expanded Social Ecology Model, including the National Youth Survey and the Asian American Family Conflict Scale. A test of the developed model was conducted using structural equation modeling in order to determine the pathways to substance abuse and delinquency among Thai youth.;The results showed that the model fit the data adequately (Goodness-of-Fit Index = .920, Comparative Fit Index = .896). The significant latent cluster variables in the final model were family influence (i.e., family acculturation conflict, family bonding, and family norms); self-efficacy; and local neighborhood risk—all contributing to adolescent substance abuse and delinquency in Thailand. The results are discussed in relation to suggestions for targeting delinquency and drug use prevention programs toward improving family relationships and particularly parent/child attachment in light of differential family acculturation risk and improving neighborhood risk for delinquency. Policymakers in Thailand can use this new knowledge to determine the best use of health promotion and crime prevention funding.