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It is estimated that from 2 to 6 million children under the age of 13 have no after-school adult supervision, so they essentially care for themselves. The majority of these children are adolescents. In a survey of almost 4,000 ninth-graders, a relationship was noted between unsupervised after-school care and an increased incidence of cigarette, alcohol and marijuana use, depression, risk-taking and poorer school performance. Problem behavior occurred less among those who were supervised at home than among those who were unsupervised, but it increased among adolescents at a neighbor's home, at school or on the a job. Those who "hung out" were especially likely to exhibit problem behavior. Girls who were supervised were less likely to engage in problem behavior than boys, but removal of supervision led to behavior problems for them as well., Objective. To examine the relationship between parental monitoring and six negative behaviors: cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use; depressed mood; risk taking; and lower academic grades. Design. Survey of 3993 ninth-grade students in six school districts in southern California. Subjects. The sample consisted of 1930 boys and 2063 girls, self-classified as non-Hispanic white (32%), African-American (13%), Hispanic (46%), or Asian (9%). Results. A relationship was found between unsupervised care after school and susceptibility to cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use; depressed mood; risk taking; and lower academic grades. Adolescents who were unsupervised at home were slightly more likely to engage in problem behavior than those who were supervised at home. Adolescents at a neighbor's house, at school, or at a job and especially those who -hang out- were most likely to engage in problem behavior. Risk was higher if the parent had an unengaged parenting style. Although girls were less likely than boys to engage in problem behavior when supervised, as supervision decreased they were significantly more likely to have each of these problems. Family structure had little impact on risk. Conclusions. Self-care, especially when it occurs outside of the home, is associated with substance use, risk taking, depressed mood, and lower academic grades. Pediatrics 1993;92:32-38; after-school care, alcohol, marijuana, smoking, cigarettes, depression, risk-taking behavior, academic performance, adolescence.

Increasing numbers of children are caring for themselves after school because no adult supervision is available. This trend is a result of the growing number of single-parent families and families where both parents work. Approximately two to six million children under the age of 13 regularly care for themselves and are often referred to as 'latchkey children'. Various studies have investigated the effects of this pattern; while academic performance and self-esteem did not differ between latchkey children and controls, some latchkey children were more depressed and fearful than children who had adult supervision. This study surveyed 4,932 eighth-graders on substance use which was compared with time these children were home alone. Self-care was a significant risk factor for drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes and marijuana. The students without supervision for 11 or more hours a week had twice the risk of substance use when compared with children who never took care of themselves. This association was not altered by socioeconomic status, stress, or extracurricular activities. Risk-taking and having friends who were smokers are factors that might explain the relationship between self-care and substance use in these children. Eighth graders who chose friends who smoked and who sought situations in which they would be offered cigarettes may have been motivated by a desire to express feelings of independence and maturity. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)