The developmental significance of late adolescent substance use for early adult functioning

Avoidance Self-Efficacy: Personal Indicators of Risky Sex and Substance Use among At-Risk Youth

Adolescent substance use (SU) is associated with risky sex behavior and sexually transmitted infections and is a risk factor for subsequent risky sex decisions. Based on a sample of 1,580 youth in residential SU treatment, this study investigated how a static factor (race) and two dynamic personal factors (risk-taking, assertiveness) contributed to adolescents' perceived ability to avoid high-risk SU and sex behavior (avoidance self-efficacy). Results showed that race correlated with risk-taking and assertiveness, with White youth reporting higher ratings of assertiveness and risk-taking. Self-reported assertiveness and risk-taking also predicted SU and risky sex avoidance. This study underscores the importance of race and personal factors in relation to adolescents' confidence in avoiding high-risk situations.

Exploring Substance Misuse Behaviors Among Black Girls in Detention: Intersections of Trauma, Sex, and Age

High risk substance misuse, trauma and gang involvement are prevalent in adolescents and often occur with youth involved with the youth punishment system. Evidence suggests that system involvement is related to trauma histories, substance misuse, as well as gang involvement. This study investigated the associations between individual and peer factors and their relationship to problem drug and alcohol use among Black girls involved with the youth punishment system. Data were collected from 188 Black girls in detention at baseline, as well as 3 and 6 month follow up periods. Measures assessed were abuse history, trauma history, sex while using drugs and alcohol, age, government assistance, and drug use. Significant findings from the multiple regression analyses indicated that younger girls were more likely to have a higher prevalence of having a drug problem than older girls at baseline. Having sex while on drugs and alcohol at the 3 month follow up period was correlated with drug use. These findings highlight how individual and peer factors can influence problem substance misuse, their behavior and peer relationships among Black girls in detention.

Problematic Internet Use and Emotional Dysregulation Among Young People: A Literature Review

OBJECTIVE

In recent years scientific interest in Internet use disorders, especially among young people, has grown dramatically. Within this contemporary research field, difficulties in regulating emotions have been increasingly explored in association with problematic Internet use (PIU). Indeed, individuals who experience difficulties in emotion regulation might be more exposed to the risk of developing PIU. Therefore, the present study aimed to review the literature from the last ten years focused on the relationship between young people's emotional dysregulation and PIU, taking into account the main variables involved in this relationship and possible gender-related differences.

METHOD

This review included studies published between 2010 and 2020 that were indexed in major databases with the following keywords: emotion regulation, problematic Internet use, Internet addiction, social network addiction, and social media addiction. In the selection process of the studies, close attention was paid for the mean age of the involved samples that had to range between 13 and 25 years.

RESULTS

A total of 23 studies satisfied the initial inclusion criteria and were included in the present literature review. Several reviewed studies found a strong association between emotion dysregulation and both PIU and problematic social networking with controversial gender-based findings. Furthermore, the relationships among emotional dysregulation, PIU, attachment styles, and metacognitions were largely explored.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the present review showed that problematic Internet use might represent a coping strategy to compensate for emotional regulation deficits. The lack of social support and the lack of a good parent-adolescent relationship seem to negatively affect emotional regulation abilities, which in turn increase the risk of developing PIU. Moreover, good metacognitive abilities might represent a protective factor towards emotional dysregulation and PIU. Finally, males with emotional dysregulation are likely to be more problematically engaged in Internet use than females. These results might have important practical implications to implement health prevention/promotion programs, emotion regulation-based training programmes and therapies.

Cross-National Associations Among Cyberbullying Victimization, Self-Esteem, and Internet Addiction: Direct and Indirect Effects of Alexithymia

The relationship among cyberbullying victimization, lower self-esteem, and internet addiction has been well-established. Yet, little research exists that explains the nature of these associations, and no previous work has considered the inability to identify or describe one’s emotions, namely, alexithymia, as a potential mediator of these links. The present study sought to investigate the indirect effects of cyberbullying victimization on self-esteem and internet addiction, mediated by alexithymia. The sample consisted of 1,442 participants between 12 and 17 years (M_age = 14.17, SD = 1.38, 51.5% male) from Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. Results showed a direct relationship between cyberbullying victimization and self-esteem and an indirect association mediated by alexithymia in the Dutch sample. However, in the German and U.S. samples, only an indirect relationship via alexithymia, but not a direct effect of cyberbullying victimization on self-esteem, was found. Consistent across the three country samples, cyberbullying victimization and internet addiction were directly and also indirectly associated via alexithymia. In sum, findings indicate that alexithymia might help better understand which detrimental effects cyberbullying victimization has on adolescent psychological health. Thus, cyberbullying prevention programs should consider implementing elements that educate adolescents on the ability to identify and describe their own emotions.

Childhood maltreatment affects adolescent sensitivity to parenting and close friendships in predicting growth in externalizing behavior

Childhood maltreatment robustly predicts adolescent externalizing behaviors (EB; e.g., violence, delinquency, substance use) and may crystalize patterns of EB by influencing sensitivity to the social environment (e.g., parenting, friendships). In a nationally representative sample of 9,421 adolescents, we modeled latent growth curves of EB from age 13 to 32 years. Next, we explored whether maltreated youth differed from nonmaltreated youth in their sensitivity to parental closeness, friendship involvement, and polymorphisms from dopamine genes linked to EB (dopamine receptors D2 and D4, dopamine transporter). Overall, maltreated youth had significantly higher levels of EB across adolescence and adulthood; however, maltreated and nonmaltreated youth showed similar patterns of EB change over time: violent behavior decreased in adolescence before stabilizing in adulthood, whereas nonviolent delinquency and substance use increased in adolescence before decreasing in the transition to adulthood. Maltreatment reduced sensitivity to parental closeness and friendship involvement, although patterns varied based on type of EB outcome. Finally, none of the environmental effects on EB were significantly moderated by the dopamine polygenic risk score after accounting for multiple testing. These findings underline the enduring effects of early maltreatment and implicate that maltreatment may contribute to long-term risk for EB by influencing children's sensitivity to social relationship factors in adolescence.

Long-Term Outcome of a Brief Intervention to Address Adolescent Drug Abuse in a School Setting

The present study used data from a randomized controlled trial on brief interventions with adolescents to identify distinct longitudinal patterns of substance use and identify predictors, as well as outcomes associated with those use patterns. Data were originally collected for the purpose of evaluating two brief intervention conditions with adolescents who had been identified in a school setting as abusing alcohol or other drugs (total sample, N = 315). Adolescents were randomly assigned to a two-session adolescent only brief intervention (BI-A), a two-session adolescent- plus an additional parent session (BI-AP), or an assessment only control session (CON). We located 74 participants to assess them at approximately 3.5 years post-intervention. Three distinct cluster patterns were identified, including a low decreasing, moderate increasing, and high decreasing pattern of use. The low decreasing cluster was associated with the BI-A condition, mono-substance use, and comorbid anxiety symptoms at baseline. The moderate increasing cluster was associated with the BI-AP condition, polysubstance use, and comorbid conduct disorder symptoms at baseline. No variables were found to be predictive of membership within the high decreasing cluster. There were also no differences found between clusters on adjustment outcomes in young adulthood. Overall findings from this study support the long-term efficacy of a brief intervention, without parent involvement, for adolescents experiencing mild to moderate substance abuse problems. Findings also highlight the importance of early intervention and the tailoring of interventions to meet the unique needs of adolescents.

Dimensions of the Parent-Child Relationship: Effects on Substance Use in Adolescence and Adulthood

BACKGROUND

Several studies have uncovered a relationship between parenting styles and the likelihood that adolescents use tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs.

OBJECTIVES

This paper extends existing research in two ways. First, we consider a longer time-frame, investigating the relationship between parenting in adolescence and substance use in adulthood. Second, we explore the pathways by which this relationship is expressed, in particular the extent to which the relationships in question are mediated by age at first use and depression.

METHODS

Our analysis is based on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), N = 2954, and is conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM). We consider warmth and control as distinct dimensions of parenting, as well as a typology of parenting which combines the two dimensions.

RESULTS

Warmth is associated with reduced risks of problem substance use in adulthood, via reduced risks of early initiation and a lower risk of depression. Parental control also has a protective effect via reduced risks of early initiation, but this is offset by a detrimental effect on depression, particularly in the case of older adolescents. We also find that indulgent parenting is not associated with extra risk of any kind compared with the authoritative style, whereas authoritarian and neglectful styles are. Conclusions/Importance: The nexus of relationships which we uncover has implications for policy aimed at reducing substance use in the longer term, suggesting that initiatives to promote warm and responsive parenting may be most effective in reducing the risks of later substance use problems.

Acute harms associated with inhalant misuse: Co-morbidities and trends relative to age and gender among ambulance attendees

BACKGROUND

Inhalant misuse is the deliberate inhalation of products containing toluene to induce intoxication. Chronic harms associated with inhalant misuse are well described; including alcohol and other drug use, mental health disorders, and suicidal behaviours. However, the nature of the acute harms from inhalants and characteristics of people who experience those harms are not well understood. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the acute harms associated with inhalant misuse attendances, and to determine whether these differ by age or gender.

METHODS

Ambulance attendance data (Victoria, Australia) from January 2012 to June 2017 were extracted from a database of coded ambulance records. 779 ambulance attendances involving inhalant misuse were identified. Attendance characteristics were categorised by age and gender. Co-morbidities of current mental health, self-harm and suicidal behaviour were assessed, plus the involvement of alcohol and other drugs.

RESULTS

Overall, attendances related to the acute harms of inhalant misuse have decreased over time, although that trend has reversed from January 2015. Gender differentiated the acute harms associated with inhalant misuse. Males were older and presented with concurrent alcohol and other drug use. Females were younger and presented with concurrent suicidal ideation and self-injury. Attendances for under 15-year-olds are increasing; this age group was over-represented, predominantly female, with a strong association with self-injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Ambulance presentations related to inhalant misuse were associated with acute and serious harms. This study highlights that the acute treatment needs of those misusing inhalants are complex and may need to be tailored to gender and age groups.

Assessing Variations in Developmental Outcomes Among Teenage Offspring of Teen Mothers: Maternal Life Course Correlates

This study investigated potential heterogeneity in development among offspring (age 17) of teen mothers and maternal life course as correlates of variation. Using latent class analysis, subgroups of developmental outcomes were identified. Maternal standing in two life course realms (i.e., socioeconomic and domestic) was considered as a potential explanation for heterogeneity in offspring's development. Offspring reported on measures assessing their psychological, academic, and behavioral development. Teen mothers reported on measures of life course realms. Three subgroups of developmental outcomes were identified: on track (52%), at risk (37%), and troubled (11%). Findings suggest that economic hardship and number of pregnancies among teen mothers distinguish developmental patterns among teenage offspring, whereas teen mothers' educational attainment and marital status do not.

Traumatic experiences, alexithymia, and Internet addiction symptoms among late adolescents: A moderated mediation analysis

The association between traumatic experiences, alexithymia, and substance abuse is well established. Less is known about the role of traumatic experiences and alexithymia in the onset and maintenance of Internet-related disorders. In the present study, self-report measures on traumatic experiences, alexithymia, and problematic Internet use were administered to 358 high school students (57% females) aged 18-19years old, to test whether alexithymic traits mediated the relationship between traumatic experiences and Internet addiction symptoms, and whether gender moderated the proposed mediation in the sample. While partial mediation occurred in the entire sample, gender directly affected the relationship between the investigated constructs: Internet addiction symptoms were independently related to traumatic experiences among males, and to alexithymic traits among females. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that trauma memories among males, and problems with affect regulation among females, may increase the risk of problematic Internet use during late adolescence. Such findings might have relevant implications to inform any treatment plan for late adolescent students who are overinvolved with online activities, pointing out that tailored approaches to their problems and difficulties are particularly needed in clinical practice.

[The adolescent abstainers: A risk group?]

OBJECTIVE

If abstinence from substance in adolescents may nowadays be regarded statistically as a deviant behavior, what is its significance from a developmental point of view? The aim of this article is to examine the mental health characteristics and the social integration of adolescent abstainers.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature review of epidemiological studies including data on adolescent abstainers was conducted.

RESULTS

Compared to the abundant literature devoted to adolescent substance abusers, few studies report data on adolescent abstainers. In addition, many methodological problems limit their interpretability and their comparison. However that may be, this body of work suggests that if abstinence may be due to something intrinsic about the individual (such as psychosocial adjustment difficulties, personality traits or gender), many other environmental factors (such as family background of temperance, cultural practices, upbringing or religion) may determine abstaining behavior. By this way, from a psychopathological angle, adolescent abstainers certainly constitute a more heterogeneous group than the adolescent substance abusers. Some of them are quite psychologically healthy, whereas others are more socially withdrawn and may suffer from emotional disorders.

CONCLUSION

In terms of prevention, these data highlight the need for longitudinal prospective studies examining the psychosocial status of adolescent abstainers, their antecedents, their outcome and their motivations.

Gender Differences in Internalizing Symptoms and Suicide Risk Among Men and Women Seeking Treatment for Cannabis Use Disorder from Late Adolescence to Middle Adulthood

Cannabis continues to rise in popularity as the perception of its harmfulness decreases and evidence of its deleterious developmental effect increases. While internalizing distress and suicide risk have been linked with cannabis use problems [DSM-5 cannabis use disorder (CUD); DSM-IV cannabis abuse and dependence] it remains unclear how this association varies over the course of development in treatment-seeking men and women. The current study utilized the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (NIDA CTN) to conduct a cross-sectional comparison of internalizing distress and suicide risk among men (n=437) and women (n=163) spanning ages 18-50 who met DSM-5 criteria for CUD. Interactions between gender and developmental stage (i.e., late adolescence, early adulthood, and middle adulthood) were observed for suicide risk and anxiety but not depression problems. Specifically, women seeking CUD treatment in late adolescence and middle adulthood exhibited significantly higher rates of anxiety and suicide risk compared to men seeking treatment during the same developmental stages. Internalizing distress and suicide risk did not differ between treatment-seeking men and women in the early adult stage. Overall, results suggest that the structure of risk for CUD may differ in men and women across the lifespan and that women presenting for CUD treatment during late adolescence and middle adulthood may uniquely benefit from intervention designed to address these elevations in anxiety and suicide risk.

Trajectories of marijuana use in youth ages 15-25: implications for postsecondary education experiences

OBJECTIVE

This study examined associations between longitudinal trajectories of marijuana use from adolescence to young adulthood and postsecondary education (PSE) experiences. Outcomes examined included the type of PSE undertaken, the timing of enrollment, and the likelihood of dropping out.

METHOD

Participants (N = 632; 332 females) were from the Victoria Healthy Youth Survey, a five-wave multicohort study of young people interviewed biennially between 2003 and 2011. Latent class growth analysis was used to identify distinct trajectories of the frequency of marijuana use from ages 15 to 25. Logistic regression analyses evaluated class membership as a predictor of the three PSE outcomes, with sex, maternal education, family structure, high school grades, and conduct problems controlled for.

RESULTS

Three trajectory groups of marijuana use were identified: abstainers (31%), occasional users (44%), and frequent users (25%). Compared with abstainers, frequent users had the lowest high school grades and the most conduct problems and were least likely to enroll in PSE, especially in a university. Occasional users did not differ from abstainers on high school grades or conduct problems and were no less likely than abstainers to enroll in PSE. However, they delayed enrollment longer and were more likely to drop out of PSE.

CONCLUSIONS

Frequent marijuana use from adolescence to young adulthood may close off opportunities for entering PSE, whereas occasional use may create delays in starting and finishing PSE among less at-risk young people. The mechanisms underlying associations between marijuana use and educational difficulties during emerging adulthood as well as adolescence need to be better understood.