The Influence of Supervisory Neglect on Subtypes of Emerging Adult Substance use after Controlling for Familial Factors, Relationship Status, and Individual Traits

Abstract

Background This study is the first to explore how child supervisory neglect influences patterns of substance use among young adults. This study investigated patterns of substance use among males and females, 18 to 24 years old, after controlling for adolescent parental drinking, living with parents, relationship status, delinquency, and depression. Methods The study sample (N = 10,618) included individuals who participated in Waves I (1994–1995) and III (2001–2002) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The study used latent class analysis to ascertain how patterns of substance use emerged as distinct classes. Results For both males and females, we identified the following 4 classes of substance use: (1) heavy polysubstance use, (2) moderate polysubstance use, (3) alcohol and marijuana, and (4) low-use substance use patterns. Multinomial logistic regression indicated that, for both males and females 18 to 24 years old, experiencing supervisory neglect, being depressed, being single, and engaging in adolescent delinquency serve as risk factors for heavy polysubstance use class membership. Conversely, being black or Hispanic lowered the likelihood of polysubstance use for males and females. For females only, living with parents served as a protective factor that reduced the risk of membership in heavy polysubstance use, moderate polysubstance use, and alcohol and marijuana classes. For males only, being less educated increased the risk of heavy polysubstance use class membership. Conclusions Results from this exploratory study underscore the enduring effect of supervisory neglect on substance use among male and female young adults. Future studies should explore whether these relationships hold over time.

The Effect of Childhood Supervisory Neglect on Emerging Adults’ Drinking

“…The resulting groups that are found are referred to as classes. Because individual persons’ similarities are used to form the classes, LCA is referred to as person-centered (Barnes, Boutwell, Morris, & Armstrong, 2012; Snyder & Merritt,2015). We fit the eight alcohol use items with a one-class model, and increased classes until we had evaluated seven models.…”

“…Relationships with romantic partners may affect alcohol use in a similar way. When emerging adults are involved in serious romantic relationships (i.e., cohabitation or marriage) their risk of heavy alcohol consumption and/or engaging in alcohol-related risk behaviors is lower than their single counterparts (Fleming, White, & Catalano, 2010; Snyder & Merritt, 2015; Snyder & Rubenstein,2014). …”

Childhood Maltreatment and BMI Trajectory: The Mediating Role of Depression

“…Other types of childhood maltreatment are less studied, but may involve different behavioral pathways such as substance use or risky behaviors. 18,19 …”

How Mental Health Interviews Conducted Alone, in the Presence of an Adult, a Child or Both Affects Adolescents’ Reporting of Psychological Symptoms and Risky Behaviors

“…Directionality or causality cannot be ascertained for the associations under question. It might be that a parent is less likely to leave home alone or to allow a teenage son or daughter with ADHD to be interviewed alone, and perhaps an adolescent with a drug use disorder is more likely to be found at home without a parent as parental neglect is considered a risk factor for substance disorders (Snyder and Merritt 2015). Or similarly, a parental death, parental neglect and parental criminal behavior may lead to adolescents’ being home with other children in the absence of parental supervision.…”