Family life and levels of involvement in an adolescent heroin epidemic.

Family life was studied in relation to different levels of heroin involvement, use of other drugs, and deviant behavior in a suburban, shite, adolescent population. Family elements included: emotional closeness, cohesive bonds, control, and conflict. More elements of family life were related to heroin use for females than for males. The relationship with the cross-sex parent had the strongest impact on male and female heroin users. The same family variables which related to male heroin use were related to his use of other hard drugs and deviance. Family variables were not as strong predictors for other drug use and deviant behavior in females.