Relevance of the dual systems model for predicting drug/alcohol dependence in early adulthood among previously adjudicated young adults

Changes in Restless Sleep, Self-Control, and Alcohol-Related Problems with Police from Late Adolescence to Adulthood

Sleep quality is crucial for healthy adolescent brain development, which has downstream effects on self-control and involvement in risky behaviors, such as alcohol use. While previous studies have found that sleep and facets of self-control are associated with patterns of alcohol use, few have assessed whether these constructs are tied to alcohol-related problems with law enforcement during the transitional period from adolescence to adulthood. The current study uses self-report panel data from ages 16 to 27 from a population-based sample of U.S. youth (N = 956; 36.86% female). The goal of the current study is to assess the association between changes in restless sleep, impulsivity, sensation seeking, and problems with police during or shortly after consuming alcohol from adolescence to adulthood to begin to address this gap in the existing literature. Results from a multivariate latent growth curve model reveal that faster increases in restless sleep and slower declines in impulsivity are associated with slower declines in police contact. Correlated changes between restless sleep, impulsivity, and police contact are slightly greater from ages 16-21 than for ages 22-27, with males showing stronger associations. The reported results suggest that identifying developmental mechanisms between changes in poor sleep, impulsivity, and alcohol use behaviors during this life-course phase will be crucial moving forward to help divert youth away from alcohol-related contact with the police.

Do Substances Used in Adolescence Predict the Persistence of Substance Use Disorders in Adulthood? A 15-Year Study of Youth After Detention

PURPOSE

Investigate if the type of substance use disorder (SUD) in adolescence predicts SUDs in adulthood and examine sex and racial/ethnic differences in the persistence of SUDs.

METHODS

Data are from the Northwestern Juvenile Project, a 15-year longitudinal study of 1829 youth randomly sampled from detention in Chicago, IL (1995-1998). Interviewers assessed SUDs using structured diagnostic interviews.

RESULTS

Compared with females without an SUD at detention, females with cannabis alone, comorbid alcohol and cannabis, or SUDs other than alcohol and cannabis at detention had higher odds of having an SUD 5 years later (25%, 32%, and 36% vs. 15%, adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-3.40; AOR = 2.76, 95% CI 1.58-4.83; AOR = 3.46, 95% CI 1.56-7.66, respectively). Males and females with SUDs other than alcohol and cannabis at detention had greater odds of having an SUD 15 years later, compared with those without an SUD at detention (males: 36% vs. 14%, AOR = 2.98, 95% CI 1.14-7.83; females: 29% vs. 8%, AOR = 4.77, 95% CI 1.85-12.30). Among youth with an SUD at detention, males were more likely than females to have an SUD 15 years later (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.03-3.29); non-Hispanic White and Hispanic males were more likely to persist than Black males (AOR = 3.32, 95% CI 1.50-7.35; AOR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.04-5.18, respectively).

DISCUSSION

The type of SUD during adolescence matters. Youth with SUDs such as cocaine and opioids fared the worst. Healthcare providers must collaborate with correctional officials to increase service provision.