Externalized anger as a mediator of harsh parenting and substance use among Appalachian adolescents

Highlights. • Harsh parenting (HP) positively related to adolescent substance use (SU)• Externalized anger (EA) was positively associated with adolescent SU.• Modest but significant indirect effects emerged between HP and SU severity.• Modest significant indirect effects also emerged between HP and current SU.• EA accounts for a small significant portion of the link between HP and SU.