Increases in Alcohol and Marijuana Use During the Transition Out of High School Into Emerging Adulthood: The Effects of Leaving Home, Going to College, and High School Protective Factors

ABSTRACT. Objective: Brief interventions have become increasingly popular for youth who engage in problematic drinking behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the alcohol use trajectories of adolescents over a 12-month period following the receipt of a brief intervention. Method: The current sample came from two independent studies and consisted of 206 adolescents (ages 13-19; 52% male) recruited through an emergency department or community institution (e.g., courts, schools). Timeline followback methods were used at four points over 1 year to obtain daily estimates of alcohol use behaviors, with daily data then aggregated at the monthly level to examine trajectories of total drinks consumed and maximum drinks on one occasion. Using latent growth curve analysis, we expected a general pattern of increasing use over time, with lower use during the month immediately following completion of the intervention. Results: Models with random intercepts, random linear slopes, and fixed quadratic trends provided good fit to the data for both total drinks and maximum drinks. For each outcome, there was an immediate decrease and then a gradual increase up to the 3-and 6-month assessments, with decreases seen in the months following assessments. Older age, White race, non-Hispanic ethnicity, and greater prior substance use were associated with greater initial levels of use and growth over time. Conclusions: Interindividual differences were observed in alcohol use trajectories over time for high-risk adolescents following an alcohol use intervention. Subsequent research may demonstrate more uniform and permanent modification of trajectories by incorporating intervention-related materials into follow-up contacts. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 76, 710-720, 2015)

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Trajectories of Adolescent Alcohol Use in the Year Following a Brief Alcohol Intervention

Abar¹,

Hernández²,

Rodríguez³

et al. 2015

“…Demographic variables, including students' age, sex, year of study, residence arrangement, religious beliefs, and importance of religious beliefs, were controlled for in the analysis, with personal cannabis use and attitudes treated as the outcome variables. Given prior research demonstrating that demographic factors such as stronger religious beliefs and living with parents and family are associated with lower likelihoods of using cannabis among students (e.g., Bell et al, 1997;Suerken et al, 2014;White et al, 2006), religious beliefs and students' residential status were included as independent categorical variables in the analyses. Personal cannabis use in the past 2 months was added as an additional independent variable when investigating the association between perceived peer attitudes with personal attitudes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Normative Perceptions of Cannabis Use Among European University Students: Associations of Perceived Peer Use and Peer Attitudes With Personal Use and Attitudes

Dempsey

McAlaney

Helmer

et al. 2016

ABSTRACT. Objective: Perceptions of peer behavior and attitudes exert considerable social pressure on young adults to use substances. This study investigated whether European students perceive their peers' cannabis use and approval of cannabis use to be higher than their own personal behaviors and attitudes, and whether estimations of peer use and attitudes are associated with personal use and attitudes. Method: University students (n = 4,131) from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Slovak Republic, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom completed an online survey as part of the Social Norms Intervention for Polysubstance usE in students (SNIPE) Project, a feasibility study of a web-based normative feedback intervention for substance use. The survey assessed students' (a) personal substance use and attitudes and (b) perceptions of their peers' cannabis use (descriptive norms) and attitudes (injunctive norms). Results: Although most respondents (92%) did not personally use cannabis in the past 2 months, the majority of students thought that the majority of their peers were using cannabis and that their peers had more permissive attitudes toward cannabis than they did. When we controlled for students' age, sex, study year, and religious beliefs, perceived peer descriptive norms were associated with personal cannabis use (odds ratio [OR] = 1.42; 95% CI [1.22, 1.64]) and perceived injunctive norms were associated with personal attitudes toward cannabis use (OR = 1.46; 95% CI [1.09, 1.94]). Conclusions: European students appear to possess similar discrepancies between personal and perceived peer norms for cannabis use and attitudes as found in North American students. Interventions that address such discrepancies may be effective in reducing cannabis use. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 77, 740-748, 2016)

“…The increase in alcohol use, heavy episodic drinking, and marijuana use during early young adulthood has been shown to be associated with role transitions that are accompanied by fewer social controls, particularly because of greater independence from the parental home (Bachman et al, 1997a;White et al, 2005White et al, , 2006. College attendance is associated with excessive and heavy episodic drinking, but the risk for alcohol abuse and dependence is signifi cantly higher among high school dropouts and young adults who do not go to college (Harford et al, 2006).…”

Section: Substance Use In Young Adulthoodmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These role transitions are associated with increases and declines in substance use and misuse during the young adult years (Bachman et al, 1997a). For example, living away from the parental home has been found to be associated with an increase in alcohol use, heavy episodic drinking, and marijuana use during the early 20s (Bachman et al, 1997a;White et al, 2005White et al, , 2006. Marriage, pregnancy, and parenthood have been associated with reduced alcohol and marijuana use and, to a lesser degree, cigarette smoking during young adulthood (Bachman et al, 1997a;Bailey et al, 2008;Curran et al, 1998;Merline et al, 2008;Yamaguchi and Kandel, 1985).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Men's and Women's Pathways to Adulthood and Associated Substance Misuse

Oesterle¹,

Hawkins²,

Hill³

2011

ABSTRACT. Objective: Social role transitions have been linked to changes in substance use and misuse during young adulthood. This study examined how commonly observed pathways to adulthood, defi ned by education, employment, marriage, and parenthood, were associated with alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana misuse from ages 18 to 33. Method: Data came from a longitudinal panel of 412 men and 396 women recruited when they were in fi fth grade in Seattle public schools in 1985. Participants were followed through age 33 in 2008, with 92% retention. Results: Young adults who had little postsecondary education and remained unmarried through age 30 generally had the highest rates of substance misuse. Those who were involved in postsecondary education and postponed family formation had the lowest rates, particularly with respect to daily smoking and nicotine dependence. Parenting during the young adult years was associated with lower rates of substance misuse for both men and women. However, taking on parenting responsibilities early, during the late teen years and early 20s (observed mostly for women), was associated with higher rates of tobacco misuse. Differences in substance misuse by pathways to adulthood were fairly constant across the young adulthood years and were already observed at age 18, suggesting that substance misuse patterns are established early. Conclusions: Young adults may change their substance use only partially in response to new freedoms and responsibilities in young adulthood. Preventive efforts should include a focus on early initiation of substance use and educational experiences that move people into life trajectories and associated substance misuse patterns. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 72,