The current study aims to examine the direct effect of perceptions of neighborhood safety on youth substance use (i.e., tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, other drugs). The study also aims to examine whether the risk pathway operates indirectly through self-esteem, and whether adult or peer support moderates this effect. Using an archival dataset, participants included 8461 youth (80.8% white, 54.2% female) between grades 6–10 completed measures on lack of neighborhood safety, self-esteem, substance use, and social support from parents, peers, and teachers. After controlling for demographic variables, lack of neighborhood safety was associated with greater substance use, with the risk pathway operating indirectly through self-esteem. Support from parents and teachers/staff were found to moderate the risk pathway, such that the effect of neighborhood safety on substance use decreased with increased support. These moderating effects were dependent on the type of substance being used: Based on the study findings, targeting self-esteem and fostering adult support systems may help reduce the negative effect perceptions of lack of neighborhood safety have on youth substance use outcomes.

目前的研究旨在检验邻里安全观念对青少年物质使用（即烟草、酒精、大麻和其他药物）的直接影响。该研究还旨在检查风险途径是否通过自尊间接运作，以及成人或同伴支持是否会缓和这种影响。使用档案数据集，参与者包括 8461 名 6-10 年级的青少年（80.8% 白人，54.2% 女性），他们完成了关于缺乏社区安全、自尊、物质使用以及来自父母、同龄人和老师的社会支持的措施。在控制人口统计变量后，缺乏邻里安全与更多的物质使用有关，风险途径通过自尊间接运作。发现家长和教师/工作人员的支持可以缓和风险路径，因此，社区安全对物质使用的影响随着支持的增加而降低。这些调节作用取决于所使用物质的类型：根据研究结果，针对自尊和培养成人支持系统可能有助于减少缺乏邻里安全感对青少年物质使用结果的负面影响。