Pathways to Drug Delinquency Among Adolescents at High Risk for Victimization

Objective: Although researchers have found that victimization is associated with adolescent drug delinquency (i.e., drug use and dealing), the mechanisms that explain this association remain unclear. This study prospectively examined the mediational roles of general delinquency, drug use, drug dealing, and posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms in the association between polyvictimization and late adolescent drug delinquency in a large, diverse sample of adolescents at risk for victimization. Method: Data were collected from a multisite consortium of prospective studies, the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect. Data about victimization experiences (i.e., physical and sexual abuse and witnessed familial and nonfamilial violence) were collected from caregivers, youth, and official child protective service records for 1,057 youth (53% female) from birth to age 14. Youth completed self-report measures for PTS at age 16, and general and drug delinquency measures at ages 16 and 18. Results: Drug dealing mediated the association between polyvictimization and drug use. Likewise, drug use mediated the associations among polyvictimization and drug dealing and general delinquency. PTS mediated the associations between polyvictimization and drug use and dealing, whereas general delinquency did not mediate either. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the impactful role of drug use, drug dealing, and PTS among at-risk youth in the association between polyvictimization and late adolescent drug delinquency. These findings highlight the importance of routine trauma screening and follow-up care for youth involved in drug delinquency.