There have been several studies of youths' self-reported influencers in the popular press in recent years. When youth are asked who has an influence on their lives in general, their response shows parents and other family members at the top of the list.

For example, a study by Newsweek magazine (1993) examined the influences on youth aged 11 through 17. The youth were asked a series of questions, among them, Who has a very important influence on you? The responses: parents (86%), grandparents (56%), place of worship (55%), teachers (50%), peers ( 41%), community (23%), and television, movies, music (22%).

A study examining support networks (Benson, 1993) asked youth aged 12 through 17 where they get their support. Most respondents reported their support came from mother (75%), father (50%), adult sibling (25%), doctor/nurse (20%), aunt (14%), grandmother (13%), and uncle (8%).

Of youth aged 9 through 13 who say they have a hero (60%), here are the top five categories of their heroes: relatives/friends (52.9%), athletes (31.5%), religious figures (13.6%), fictional characters (11.3%), and political-historical figures (8.7%) (USA Today, October 23, 1997).

Research on adolescent development not particularly focusing on substance abuse has indicated that a relationship with at least one caring adult, not necessarily a parent, is perhaps the single most important element in protecting young people who have multiple risks in their lives (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1992; National Commission on Children, 1991; Wynn et al., 1994).

A review of the literature of the influence of extended family members shows that although parents are the most important adults in the lives of adolescents, nonparental adults may play important roles in the healthy development of young people. Extended family members may be the most important nonparent adults for young adolescents, especially low-income adolescents of color. Although unrelated adults, such as teachers, neighbors, clergy, and youth workers, may comprise a relatively small percentage of the significant adults young adolescents identify as being helpful, they are seen probably more frequently than are adults in the extended family and may assume more importance for specific kinds of communication. Their importance becomes more marked for some youth the older they get ( Scales and Gibbons, 1996).

Extended family members are the most common non-parent source of adult support for adolescents; strong relationships with nonfamily members may be correlates with strong relationships with parents (Scales and Gibbons, 1996). Family members encourage youth to have supportive relationships with caring adults beyond the immediate family, such as a teacher, scout leader, or mentor (Benson,1993).

From these studies, it can be stated that youth are strongly influenced and supported by their family members, and recognize and value that support and influence.

Parenting IS Prevention Training of Trainers Workshop, 1998	SAMHSA

Office of National Drug Control Policy