Final answer:
Among the given options, conflict-ridden family life is a characteristic of adolescent alcohol and substance abusers. This aligns with research indicating that strained family relationships and poor parental monitoring contribute to adolescent substance use.
Step-by-step explanation:
Adolescents who engage in alcohol and substance abuse are more likely to demonstrate a set of behavioural and familial characteristics that differ from their non-using peers. The listed options provide potential characteristics of adolescents with substance abuse issues, and research indicates that a common characteristic is indeed a conflict-ridden family life. Studies such as those by Baumrind (1991) and Bahr & Hoffman (2010), have shown that poor family dynamics, including low levels of parental monitoring, and strained relationships can contribute to substance abuse in adolescents. Other factors that can play into this include social isolation, depression, parental substance abuse, and childhood mistreatment. Substance-abusing adolescents are less likely to have positive educational outcomes like higher levels of academic achievement, and they often have less secure attachments with their parents.