Content area
Abstract
This study explores the impact of individual attributes and environmental risk on youth gambling, substance, and deviant behaviour problems. With a cross-sectional design, regression analyses indicated that among a sample of mostly first-generation immigrant adolescents from low-income homes, social bonding was associated with a decrease in severity for all three problem behaviours, while peer and neighbourhood risk were associated with an increase in severity for all three behaviours. As well, personal competence was associated with a decrease in deviant behaviour only, while family risk was associated with an increase in both substance problem and deviant behaviour severity. Interestingly, social competence was associated with an increase in substance problems and deviant behaviour. In terms of protective processes, a putative moderating effect was found for composite individual attributes on the relationship between composite environmental risk and deviant behaviour. Findings are discussed with respect to the roles of compensatory, risk, and protective processes.