Adolescent Substance Use Social Learning Theory

The National Center of Addiction and Substance has labeled adolescent substance use “American’s #1 public health problem.” (Straussner, 2014). According to Straussner (2014), nearly all adults who meet the medical criteria for substance use disorder (SUD) started experimenting with alcohol and other drugs at some point in their teenage years. Adolescent substance use is an issue because adolescent brains are not fully developed, making teens much more vulnerable to developing an addiction than adults. Adolescent substance abuse could be explained by social learning theory, which explains how the environment influences one’s behavior. This behavior could be learned at home, from their peers, or within the community the adolescent lives. The social learning theory will show how what an adolescent is exposed to becomes their social norm and can determine whether or not he or she

The current rate of illicit drug use in 12 to 17-year-olds is similar between males and females; however, males are more likely than females to be current marijuana users and females are more likely to be current nonmedical users of psychotherapeutic drugs and pain relievers (Straussner, 2014, p. 399). In regards to addiction, females are more vulnerable to physical addiction at faster rates than males. In other words, the same amount or less of alcohol and other drugs use can progress more quickly into a pattern of abuse, with more severe health consequences for females than males (Straussner, 2014, p. 399). The signs of addiction also differ between male and females. The signs of problematic substance abuse for boys are fighting, drunk driving, and truancy which are all outer directed behaviors, while females are more inner directed, less detectable, overlooked and often misdiagnosed (Straussner, 2014, p. 399). Substance abuse disorders in girls manifest itself in depression and anxiety disorders (Straussner, 2014, p.