Definitional Elasticity in the Measurement of Intergenerational Continuity in Substance Use

Abstract

Increasingly, three generation studies have investigated intergenerational (IG) continuity and discontinuity in substance use and related problem behaviors. However, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the conceptual definition of continuity or to different types of discontinuity (resilience and escalation) or to measurement sensitivity, which affects not only the magnitudes of observed continuity but also factors that correlate with this linkage. This study uses longitudinal data on 427 parent-child dyads from the Rochester IG Study to study continuity and discontinuity in substance use over ages 14-18. Results suggest that the degree of IG continuity, resilience, and escalation in adolescent substance use, as well as correlates of each, depend heavily on how heterogeneity in the behavior is taken into account.

Intergenerational marijuana use: A life course examination of the relationship between parental trajectories of marijuana use and the onset of marijuana use by offspring.

“…Notwithstanding the aforementioned limitations, this work reinforces the importance of accounting for heterogeneous patterns of parent marijuana use (see also Loughran et al, 2018), which can speak to age of onset, frequency, and duration of use simultaneously as opposed to singular measures of each aspect of marijuana use. In line with this argument, prevention and intervention efforts should recognize parental patterns of marijuana use and tailor interventions to match the individual risk posed to offspring (Collins, Murphy, & Bierman, 2004).…”

“…These transitions often serve as turning points, representing the initiation into a behavioral trajectory (onset), change in the behavior over time (i.e., the escalation in behavior or the reduced frequency of a behavior), or cessation and ultimate desistance from a behavior. The notion of trajectories has previously been applied to the study of marijuana use to identify different patterns of marijuana use in adolescence (e.g., Caldeira, O’Grady, Vincent, & Arria, 2012; Loughran, Larroulet, & Thornberry, 2018), adolescence and emerging adulthood (e.g., Ellickson, Martino, & Collins, 2004; Homel, Thompson, & Leadbeater, 2014; Passarotti, Crane, Hedeker, & Mermelstein, 2015; Windle & Wiesner, 2004), and adolescence to adulthood (e.g., Brook, Lee, Finch, Seltzer, & Brook, 2013; Epstein et al, 2015). Notably, if observed for a long enough period (i.e., early adolescence to adulthood), the trajectory approach has the capacity to characterize the course of marijuana use across developmental periods, including the age of onset, the frequency of use, the intermittency or persistence of use, and desistance from marijuana use (or at least enduring cessation).…”

“…Unfortunately, the notions of trajectories and transitions have largely been ignored in prior research examining IG continuity in behavior, including IG continuity in marijuana use. Recognizing the developmental impact of trajectories or patterns of behavior, Loughran and colleagues (2018) argued that the study of IG continuity is augmented by the consideration of trajectories because there is so much heterogeneity in use within- and between- individuals that a singular measure likely obfuscates the true relationship between a parental behavior and offspring behavior: “In behavior, the age of onset can vary widely across the life span, as can the duration of the behavior, patterns of involvement such as persistency versus intermittency, and whether and when individuals desist from the behavior” (p. 1626).…”

An intergenerational investigation of the associations between parental marijuana use trajectories and child functioning.

“…Fourth, little is known about the risks of parent marijuana use among parents with a lifetime pattern of heavy use versus those who used infrequently and only in the past. In a recent discussion of intergenerational continuity and discontinuity, Loughran, Larroulet, and Thornberry (2018) cautions against narrow definition of behavior when investigating intergenerational transmission and encourages using longitudinal data to better measure heterogeneity of behavior over time. Collectively, these gaps in knowledge limit our understanding of whether parent use history poses a risk factor for youth marijuana, beyond their current use.…”

Desistance as an Intergenerational Process

“…In advancing this conceptualization, our review provides theoretical insights into the family's role in producing both criminal activity and a move away from criminal activity in ways that will enhance criminological research on intergenerational transmission processes. Most importantly, the theoretical insight that families can desist from crime offers key benefits over existing paradigms for understanding the intergenerational transmission of crime and deviant behavior that focus on the resilience or agency of individuals (e.g., Loughran et al 2018, Paternoster et al 2015.…”