The At-risk Adolescent Marijuana Nonuser: Expanding the Standard Distinction

Abstract

This research expands the user/nonuser dichotomy commonly used in research on marijuana. By conceptualizing nonusers as homogeneous, vital nuances in susceptibility to risk and protective factors may be overlooked. Research operations tested the predictive validity of a brief measure that divided nonusers into resolute and vulnerable subcategories; determined whether variables that distinguished nonusers and users were more informative when a tripartite classification was used; and with an eye on future prevention, examined variables on which resolute nonusers were similar to vulnerable nonusers or users, and on which they differed from both. A nationally representative sample of respondents (N=2,111; ages 12−16 years) from the National Survey of Parents and Youth was used in this secondary analysis. Panel data gathered yearly over four rounds included information on intentions and use of marijuana and other illicit substances, along with social, demographic, intrapersonal, and parental variables. The three groups differed significantly on associates' marijuana use, participants' approval of others' use, and cigarette and alcohol use. Resolute nonusers differed from vulnerable nonusers and users alike on religiosity, delinquency (self and friends'), refusal strength, sensation seeking, parental monitoring and warmth, and adult supervision. Results support the utility of distinguishing vulnerable from resolute nonusers, counsel against considering nonusers as a homogeneous group, and provide insight into variables that might prove useful in future prevention efforts. KeywordsMarijuana usage; Risk taking; Adolescent attitudes; Drug initiation; Drug abuse; Risk factors; Secondary analysis; Vulnerability Despite massive public expenditures to curtail its adoption, marijuana remains the illicit drug most widely used by adolescents in the United States (Johnston et al. 2006). Consequences of marijuana use include increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases (Boyer et al. 1999), problems at school (Lynskey and Hall 2000), motor vehicle accidents (Smiley 1999), and lung and bronchial cancers (Sidney et al. 1997). The most common substance reported in adolescents' emergency department admissions (Office of Applied Studies 2000), marijuana can impair adolescent development (Hall and Solowij 1998); heavy usage can attenuate learning and mental flexibility (Lundqvist 2005), and may precipitate psychosis and schizophrenia in vulnerable youth (Ferdinand et al. 2005;Hall 1998;Smit et al. 2004). These stark findings clearly counsel prevention. To maximize scarce resources, youth most vulnerable to marijuana initiation must be identified (Crano and Burgoon 2002;Kosterman et al. 2000). Early marijuana risk research traditionally focused on differences between users and nonusers. Later studies explored differences among users (Jessor and Jessor 1977;Kandel et al. 1992), a reasonable tactic if the research is concerned with treatment variations; but if prevention is central, then factors that identify differences among n...

Adolescents’ attitudes toward antimarijuana ads, usage intentions, and actual marijuana usage.

“…The sampling methodology was comprehensive and designed to develop a nationally representative sample (Crano, Siegel, et al, 2008; NIDA, 2006). Non-sensitive data were collected via computer-assisted personal interviews.…”

The Enduring Impact of Parents’ Monitoring, Warmth, Expectancies, and Alcohol Use on Their Children’s Future Binge Drinking and Arrests: a Longitudinal Analysis

“…In response, research on the epidemiology of substance use has focused on risk and protective factors that influence use during the teen years. Parental warmth and monitoring are two protective parenting practices that foster autonomy and support intrinsic motivation (Joussemet et al 2008) and curtail deviance (Crano et al 2008; Donaldson et al 2015; Hemovich et al 2011; Lac et al 2009; Lac and Crano 2009). Parental warmth is defined as the extent to which adolescents perceive their parents as loving, caring, involved, and responsive to their needs (Lowe and Dotterer 2013).…”

Parent–Child Drug Communication: Pathway From Parents' Ad Exposure to Youth's Marijuana Use Intention

“…A computer-assisted personal interview was used to collect nonsensitive data. For sensitive questions, participants privately responded via self-administered audio-computer-assisted interview by listening to prerecorded questions and response options through headphones and responding using touch-sensitive screens (for more complete details on the sampling procedures that we used, see Crano et al, 2008;National Institute of Drug Abuse, 2006). …”