Objective
To test whether low adoptive parent stress buffers the effect of preadoptive risk on substance use among adoptees.
Background
Adoptees are especially susceptible to substance use in adolescence, potentially because they often experience multiple early risk factors. Because caregiver stress and child behavior problems are linked, degree of parenting stress may serve as a buffer in reducing adoptee substance use.
Method
In a longitudinal study of 82 adoptees, we tested whether cumulative preadoptive risk, parenting stress, and their interaction predicted substance use in adolescence.
Results
Parents’ parenting stress, but not children’s preadoptive risk, predicted later substance use. Higher risk children were more positively and negatively affected by variations in parent stress.
Conclusions
Parenting stress is a malleable risk and protective factor in the development of substance use among adoptees.
Implications
Prevention and intervention programs for adoptive families should target parenting stress to reduce the risk of later youth substance use.