Longitudinal associations between adult-supervised drinking during adolescence and alcohol misuse from ages 25-31 years: A comparison of Australia and the United States

Prior studies suggest that adult supervised drinking in adolescence predicts greater adolescent alcohol misuse. Long-term follow up data examining how adult supervised drinking during adolescence relates to alcohol misuse in adulthood are lacking. Longitudinal data from the International Youth Development Study tested associations between adult supervised drinking during adolescence (ages 13-16; 2002-2004) and adult alcohol misuse (ages 25-31; 2014, 2018, 2020). Cross-nationally matched samples were compared in Washington State, USA (n = 961) and Victoria, Australia (n = 1,957; total N = 2,918, 55 % female, 83 % White), where adult-supervised adolescent alcohol use was more common. Multilevel analyses adjusted for state, sex, adolescent drinking, parent education, family management, family history of substance use problems, and parent alcohol-related norms. Adult supervised drinking in adolescence (at dinner or parties, on holidays) predicted more adult alcohol misuse (mean Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score; b[SE] 0.07[0.03]; p = 0.004) and higher rates of alcohol-impaired driving (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.501, p = 0.034) and riding with an alcohol-impaired driver (OR 1.669, p = 0.005), but not the use of strategies to moderate alcohol intake (e.g., counting drinks). Better family management (monitoring, clear rules) in adolescence predicted less adult alcohol misuse. Associations were similar in the two states. Reducing the frequency of adult supervised drinking and improving family management practices in adolescence may help to decrease alcohol misuse well into adulthood. Findings support the widespread implementation of substance use prevention and family management training programs.

The Joint Operations of Teacher-Student and Peer Relationships on Classroom Engagement among Low-Achieving Elementary Students: A Longitudinal Multilevel Study

Although both teacher-student relationship (TSR) and peer relationship (PR) have been found important for the development of students' classroom engagement, little research has been done regarding the joint operations of these two factors. Guided by a developmental systems framework, this study examined longitudinal between-person and within-person associations between TSR/ PR and classroom engagement in a sample of 784 low-achieving students in the first three years of elementary school. A multidimensional approach was used to distinguish positive and negative dimensions of TSR, as well as peer liking and disliking. At the between-person level, results showed that students' classroom engagement was positively predicted by positive TSR and PR liking and was negatively predicted by negative TSR and PR disliking. Both positive and negative TSR interacted with PR disliking at the between-person level, such that the associations between positive/negative TSR and classroom engagement were stronger for students with lower levels of PR disliking. At the within-person level, changes in classroom engagement were associated with contemporaneous year-to-year changes in positive/negative TSR and PR disliking. No within-person level interaction effects were found. Cross-level interaction showed that the effects of within-person negative TSR on classroom engagement were stronger for students with lower overall levels of PR disliking. Findings highlighted the importance of using a multilevel multidimensional approach to understand the joint operations of TSR and PR in the development of classroom engagement in low-achieving students in early elementary school.

Different self-damaging behaviours, similar motives? Testing measurement invariance of motives for nonsuicidal self-injury, disordered eating and substance misuse

OBJECTIVES

Theory and research suggest that distinct self-damaging behaviours (SDBs; e.g., nonsuicidal self-injury [NSSI], restrictive eating, binge eating, drug misuse, alcohol misuse) share similar motives. However, few studies have used a common self-report inventory to investigate the shared relevance and relative salience of motives for SDBs. Accordingly, the present study: (1) examined whether self-report scales assessing intrapersonal motives (i.e., relieving negative emotions, enhancing positive emotions, punishing oneself) and interpersonal motives (i.e., bonding with others, conforming with others, communicating distress, communicating strength, reducing demands) have invariant factor structures across SDBs; and (2) compared the salience of these motives across SDBs.

METHODS

1018 adults (54.6% men, Mage = 35.41 years) with a history of SDBs were allocated to the following groups: NSSI (n = 213), restrictive eating (n = 200), binge eating (n = 200), drug misuse (n = 200) or alcohol misuse (n = 205). Participants reported on their motives for engaging in their allocated SDB. Measurement invariance analyses compared the factor structures and latent means of the motive scales across SDBs.

RESULTS

The motive scales had comparable factor structures across SDBs. Intrapersonal motives were most strongly endorsed for NSSI and drug misuse. Interpersonal motives were most strongly endorsed for drug and alcohol misuse. All motives were least salient to restrictive eating.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that common motives underlie distinct SDBs and that they can be adequately assessed using a single self-report inventory. However, certain motives are more relevant to some SDBs than others, with restrictive eating being the most motivationally distinct SDB. This knowledge can inform transdiagnostic models and interventions for SDBs.

A prospective study of sexual risk patterns associated with delinquency and justice involvement among child welfare system-involved male adolescents in the United States

INTRODUCTION

Early sexual activity and teen pregnancy are known risk factors for delinquency and justice involvement among male adolescents. However, less is known about these patterns among child welfare system (CWS)-involved boys who face significant social barriers and past/current traumatic experiences.

METHODS

We prospectively examined these associations among male adolescents who identified as low and high risk for child-maltreatment via a secondary data analysis of the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect dataset-a large scale assessment of children, their parents, and their teachers in the United States to understand issues of child abuse and neglect. We extracted and examined data from 657 boys who were identified as at-risk for maltreatment or with histories of substantiated maltreatment at ages 6, 8, 12, 14, and 16. We used structural equation modeling to examine the relationship between sexual activity (i.e., age of sexual debut, actively having sex, and sex resulting in a child) and changes in delinquency and justice involvement.

RESULTS

Male adolescents who have engaged in sex and/or have fathered a child had greater increases in delinquency over time compared to those who have not had sex. Further, fathering a child was significantly associated with justice involvement, especially for the high-risk group.

CONCLUSION

Results indicate that greater efforts should be taken to ascertain CWS-involved male adolescents' sexual health practices and parenting status. Male adolescents in the CWS require support with accessing developmentally appropriate sexual health education and family services.

Social-emotional functioning among bias-based bullies, victims, and bully-victims

Bias-based harassment in U.S. schools is an increasingly significant concern for students' well-being. Although research on bullying broadly defined has indicated that the ways in which youth are involved in bullying (i.e., as bullies, victims, and bully-victims) are differentially associated with functioning, this study adds to extant research by exploring whether similar patterns emerge for bias-based harassment. A nationally representative sample of 639 adolescents, ages 13-17, completed online surveys in 2021 that included measures of bias-based harassment, anxiety, depression, substance use, and school social support. Findings from a multivariate latent variable model indicated that after controlling for demographic variables, compared to individuals not involved in bias-based harassment, students involved as victims, perpetrators, or both victims and perpetrators of bias-based harassment (i.e., bias-based bully-victims) reported more mental health symptoms. Substance use was elevated for bias-based perpetrators and bully-victims, whereas school social support was diminished for bias-based victims and bully-victims. Notably, bias-based bully-victims had the highest levels of anxiety symptoms and substance use, and lowest levels of school social support, among all adolescents. Findings highlight that involvement in bias-based harassment in any capacity is associated with deleterious functioning, with bias-based bully-victims reporting particularly adverse functioning across domains. Bolstering protective factors such as school social support would be a useful component of school practices and prevention programs related to bias-based harassment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Religiosity and Associations with Substance Use and Delinquency Among Urban African American Adolescents

Adolescent delinquency and substance use are global problems. African American adolescents are especially susceptible to the life-changing consequences of these problem behaviors. Religiosity is a notable protective factor that has been shown to mitigate these behaviors. This study uses a person-centered approach to examine the extent to which religiosity is associated with lower rates of delinquency and substance use among urban African American adolescents in the United States. Latent Class Analysis was used to examine the heterogeneity in five religiosity items among a sample of adolescents ages 13-18. After identifying religiosity classes through a class enumeration process, we examined predictors of the classes using multinomial logistic regression. The classes were then used to predict several substance use and delinquency outcomes. Three religiosity classes were identified; "low religious beliefs and engagement," (15.19%, n = 94), "religious with low active engagement," (56.70%, n = 351), and "religious with high active engagement," (28.11%, n = 174). Protective effects of religiosity on substance use (e.g., alcohol) and delinquency were found (e.g., assault). Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Are there reciprocal interplays among Chinese adolescents', fathers', and mothers' depression at the within-family level? A family systems perspective

Controversy surrounds the reciprocity between adolescent and parental depression. Limited studies rigorously tested the transactional model of depression from a family systems perspective considering the involvement of all family members, particularly in non-Western nations, using advanced modeling approaches that disentangle between- and within-unit (i.e., family) variances (e.g., random intercept cross-lagged panel model [RI-CLPM]). This population-based multi-informant longitudinal study applied RI-CLPM to evaluate the temporal dynamics of the interrelations among adolescent, maternal, and paternal depression in 1,733 Chinese families assessed biannually. Findings from two large independent samples (primary sample [N = 1,733]; replication sample [N = 989]) converged to suggest, in macro timescales: (a) more depressed parents-especially mothers-generally have more depressed adolescents (between-family associations); (b) a family member becoming more depressed than usual co-occurred with other members becoming more depressed than usual in the same wave (within-family cofluctuations), with the mother-adolescent dyads exhibiting greater concordance than the father-adolescent dyads; and (c) a family member becoming more depressed than usual did not prospectively predict other members becoming more depressed than usual (i.e., no within-family reciprocal effects). While patterns of cross-lagged effects were consistently null across contexts, cofluctuations were stronger in rural than urban families and stronger in families with older adolescents. Overall, findings suggest that in macro timescales, the previously identified associations between adolescent and parental depression likely occurred at the trait-like between-family level and state-like within-family cofluctuations. Future studies employing micro timescales (e.g., daily) can complement macro-timescale analysis to provide greater temporal resolution of the within-family interplays of affective symptoms between family members. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Harsh parenting among veterans: parents' military-related PTSD, mentalization, and pre-military trauma

Objectives

Veteran parents experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may resort to harsh parenting. The indirect pathway from parental military-related PTSD to harsh parenting, and the moderating role of parents' pre-military trauma histories, has been less explored. Informed by mentalization theory, as well as trauma-sensitive and posttraumatic growth perspectives, we aim to explore the associations between veteran parents' military-related PTSD, mentalization, harsh parenting, and prior trauma before military service.

Methods

Data were collected from an online research panel of 509 veteran parents with children under 10. We employed Structural Equation Models to test indirect and moderating effects.

Results

We identified an indirect effect of parental pre-mentalization from military PTSD to harsh parenting [corporal punishment: b = 0.35, p < 0.001, 95% CI (0.23, 0.46); psychological aggression: b = 0.14, p < 0.001, 95% CI (0.09, 0.19)]. Multi-group analysis on four parent groups (parents with only pre-military physical trauma, parents with only pre-military psychological trauma, parents with both pre-military physical and psychological trauma, and parents with no pre-military physical or psychological trauma) highlighted differences in these associations, particularly between parents with only pre-military physical trauma and those without any physical and psychological trauma. The military-related PTSD effects on psychological aggression, corporal punishment, and pre-mentalization were all significantly higher for parents without pre-military physical and psychological trauma.

Conclusion

Modifying parents' interpretation of their child's mental states can potentially counteract the effects of veterans' military PTSD on harsh parenting. Family-based programs should be created considering veteran parents' pre-military trauma histories.

Trajectories of oppositional defiant disorder severity from adolescence to young adulthood and substance use, mental health, and behavioral problems

Background

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a disruptive behavioral disorder; however, increasing evidence emphasizes irritable mood as a primary symptom of ODD.

Objectives

This study investigated whether heterogeneous groups (classes) of individuals can be differentiated based on ODD sub-dimensions (irritability and defiance) or on overall ODD symptoms longitudinally. We also examine associations between ODD trajectory class and comorbid substance use (heavy episodic drinking, cannabis use), mental health (depression and anxiety) and behavioral symptoms (ADHD, aggression and substance use) in both adolescence and young adulthood (controlling for adolescent levels of each of these concerns).

Method

Data were from a randomly recruited community sample of 662 Canadian youth (T1 ages 12-18) followed biennially for 10 years (T6 ages 22-29).

Results

Growth mixture models revealed trajectories classes of ODD based on severity of symptoms. A three-class solution provided the best fit with Low (n = 119; 18%), Moderate (n = 473; 71.5%), and High (n = 70; 10.6%) ODD classes. Class trajectory differences were similarity based on symptoms severity (rather than type) for symptom sub-dimensions (irritability defiance). Adolescent and young adult substance use, mental health symptoms, and behavioral problems were significantly higher for the High ODD trajectory class compared to both other classes. Youth in the Moderate ODD trajectory class also showed higher comorbid symptoms in adolescence and young adulthood, compared to the Low ODD trajectory class.

Conclusion

Early identification of children and adolescents with high or moderate ODD symptoms and interventions that simultaneously address defiance and irritability are supported by the findings.

Health of Young Adults Experiencing Social Marginalization and Vulnerability: A Cross-National Longitudinal Study

People who experience social marginalization and vulnerability have uniquely complex health needs and are at risk of poor health outcomes. Regression analyses using longitudinal data from a cross-national, population-based sample of young adults participating in the International Youth Development Study, tested associations between social marginalization and vulnerabilities and physical health, mental health, and substance use outcomes. Participants from Victoria, Australia, and Washington State in the US were surveyed at ages 25 (2014) and 29 years (2018; N = 1944; 46.7% male). A history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), LGBT identity, financial insecurity, and justice system involvement at age 25 predicted poor health outcomes at age 28, including lower perceived health status, risk for chronic illness, depression and anxiety symptoms, and diagnosed mental health/substance use disorders. Tests of model equivalence across states showed that a history of ACEs was more strongly related to health status and serious injury at age 28 and justice system involvement at age 25 was more strongly related to age 28 serious injury in Victoria than in Washington State. Findings strengthen the case for future population-based research identifying life-course interventions and state policies for reducing poor health and improving health equity among members of socially marginalized groups.

Social-Ecological Predictors of Homophobic Name-Calling Perpetration and Victimization Among Early Adolescents

Bias-based aggression at school in the form of homophobic name-calling is quite prevalent among early adolescents. Homophobic name-calling is associated with low academic performance, higher risky sexual behaviors, and substance abuse, among other adverse outcomes. This longitudinal study examined risk and protective factors across multiple domains of the social ecology (individual, peer, family, school and community) and levels of analysis (within- and between-person) associated with homophobic name-calling perpetration and victimization. Students from four middle schools in the U.S. Midwest (N = 1,655; X ¯ age = 12.75; range = 10-16 years) were surveyed four times (Spring/Fall 2008, Spring/Fall 2009). For homophobic name-calling perpetration, significant risk factors included impulsivity, social dominance, traditional masculinity, family violence, and neighborhood violence; while empathy, peer support, school belonging, and adult support were significant protective factors. For homophobic name-calling victimization, significant risk factors included empathy (between-person), impulsivity, traditional masculinity, family violence, and neighborhood violence, while empathy (within-person), parental monitoring, peer support, school belonging, and adult support were significant protective factors.

Bullying as a Developmental Precursor to Sexual and Dating Violence Across Adolescence: Decade in Review

Adolescent bullying continues to be a major focus of scholarship across the globe. This article reviews research from 2010 to 2021 with a particular focus on longitudinal studies of the bully-sexual violence pathway (BSVP), where bullying serves as a precursor for sexual violence (SV) (e.g., sexual harassment, sexual coercion, and sexual assault) and teen dating violence via individual and socio-contextual mediators. Articles reviewed consisted of a total of 505, which included 17 meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Databases used for the search were Academic Search Complete, Education Full Text (H. W. Wilson), ERIC, National Criminal Justice Reference Service Abstracts, PsycINFO, PubMed (Medline), and Social Sciences Abstracts (H. W. Wilson). In total, 107 peer-reviewed articles were included in this review. Potential mechanisms underlying the BSVP include social dominance orientation, exposure to sexual education, and alcohol use. Several school-based intervention approaches have evidenced marginal success in reducing rates of bullying and SV by targeting factors undergirding both behaviors. The efficacy of international prevention approaches is summarized. Gaps in the literature are identified and future research is proposed.

Psychometric properties of the Disability Identity Development Scale: Confirmatory factor and bifactor analyses

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE

This work provides comprehensive analyses targeting the factor structure and dimensionality of the Disability Identity Development Scale (DIDS). In Forber-Pratt et al., 2020, disability was defined broadly to include individuals with visible or hidden disabilities across many disability groups (i.e., physical, intellectual, learning, or chronic illness).

RESEARCH METHOD/DESIGN

Retained items from previous exploratory factor analysis were administered to a sample of adults with disabilities (n = 1,126) ranging in age from 18-78 years. Confirmatory factor analytics (CFA) including traditional CFA, and bifactor confirmatory analyses were used to examine the dimensionality and structure of the DIDS.

RESULTS

Traditional CFA provided lack of evidence in support of the oblique four-factor structure previously reported. Bifactor confirmatory analysis revealed items on the DIDS are consistent with unidimensional, and to a lesser degree multidimensional solutions (i.e., items lacked a level of content diversity to substantiate a complex, reliable multifactor structure).

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

Analytic results on the DIDS revealed reasonable psychometric properties as a measure of disability identity. Our results support using a sum or total score of disability identity. Results of this work are an important contribution to a growing body of literature supporting, and investigating, disability identity development. Furthermore, the DIDS measure with its resulting composite score of disability identity has the potential to inform clinicians in the field of rehabilitation psychology as well as informing future targeted interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Predictors of Early-Onset Cannabis Use in Adolescence and Risks for Substance Use Disorder Symptoms in Young Adulthood

Early detection of risks for substance use disorders is essential to lifelong health and well-being for some youth. Very early-onset use is proposed as an indicator of risk for substance use disorders, but risk and protective factors related to early-onset use have not been identified. The current study compared risk and protective factors that distinguish early- and late-onset cannabis users from abstainers using data collected from a large community sample. The study also examined onset-group differences in participants’ reports of substance use disorder symptoms a decade later. Heavy episodic drinking (early-onset: OR = 7.29 CI = [1.60, 33.19]) and engagement with peers involved in deviant behaviors (early-onset: OR = 2.50 CI = [1.50, 4.13]) are risk factors for early-onset cannabis use. Protective factors, including parent monitoring (early-onset: OR = 0.73 CI = [0.58, 0.93]), engagement with peers involved in positive behaviors (early-onset: OR = 0.54 CI = [0.39, 0.76]), school engagement (early-onset: OR = 0.83 CI = [0.72, 0.96]), and academic grades (early-onset: OR = 0.37 CI = [0.21, 0.65]) also predicted early versus later onset-group differences. Early age of onset may be distinctly related to risk and protective factors previously associated with risks for substance use in all adolescents.

Examining social-ecological correlates of youth gang entry among serious juvenile offenders: A survival analysis

Decades of research have categorized risk and protective factors for youth gang involvement in social contexts that include individual, family, peer, school, and community factors. However, most studies are cross-sectional and only examine 1 or 2 social-ecological contexts. This study, which used a time-to-event model with time-variant and time-invariant predictors, adds to this literature by using longitudinal social-ecological factors to examine increases in the hazard of gang entry among serious juvenile offenders followed for 7 years during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. Lower socioeconomic status (SES), higher rates of exposure to violence, self-reported offending, and time spent in jail were associated with higher hazards rates of gang entry. Temperance (suppression of aggression and impulse control) was associated with decreases in the hazard of gang entry. Among family characteristics, higher parental hostility and having a father who had been arrested were associated with increases in the hazard of gang entry. Resistance to peer influence was a protective factor for gang entry. In addition, individuals who reported associating with delinquent peers or who had a higher proportion of friends who had been arrested had significant increases in the hazard for gang entry. School orientation was a significant protective factor, and neighborhood disorganization was associated with increases in the hazard for gang entry. Strategies for early intervention and prevention efforts are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Associations Between Marijuana Use Trajectories and Educational and Occupational Success in Young Adulthood

Adolescence and young adulthood is a critical stage when the economic foundations for life-long health are established. To date, there is little consensus as to whether marijuana use is associated with poor educational and occupational success in adulthood. We investigated associations between trajectories of marijuana use from ages 15 to 28 and multiple indicators of economic well-being in young adulthood including achievement levels (i.e., educational attainment and occupational prestige), work characteristics (i.e., full vs part-time employment, hours worked, annual income), financial strain (i.e., debt, trouble paying for necessities, delaying medical attention), and perceived workplace stress. Data were from the Victoria Healthy Youth Survey, a 10-year prospective study of a randomly recruited community sample of 662 youth (48% male; M_age = 15.5), followed biennially for six assessments. Models adjusted for baseline age, sex, SES, high school grades, heavy drinking, smoking, and internalizing and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms. Chronic users (our highest risk class) reported lower levels of educational attainment, lower occupational prestige, lower income, greater debt, and more difficulty paying for medical necessities in young adulthood compared to abstainers. Similarly, increasers also reported lower educational attainment, occupational prestige, and income. Decreasers, who had high early use but quit over time, showed resilience in economic well-being, performing similar to abstainers. Groups did not differ on employment status or perceived workplace stress. The findings indicate that early onset and persistent high or increasingly frequent use of marijuana in the transition from adolescent to young adulthood is associated with risks for achieving educational and occupational success, and subsequently health, in young adulthood.

Initial factor exploration of disability identity

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE

This article describes the initial factor exploration of disability identity and preliminary psychometric characteristics based on an adult self-report tool. Disability was defined broadly, and the sample included individuals with visible and/or hidden disabilities across many disability groups (i.e., physical, intellectual, learning, mental illness).

METHOD

Items were developed (n = 102) and a pilot measure was administered to a sample of adults with disabilities (n = 566). An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using the mean and variance adjusted weighted least squares (WLSMV) estimator was conducted. The resulting items were sent to expert reviewers for evaluation.

RESULTS

Following the exploratory analyses, 37 items were retained that made up four factors: internal beliefs about own disability and the disability community, anger and frustration with disability experiences, adoption of disability community values, and contribution to the disability community. The pilot measure aligned well with the theoretical framework that guided its development.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

This factor exploration is a contribution to a growing body of literature supporting, and investigating, disability identity development. This work presents a more comprehensive understanding of disability identity development. Armed with a better understanding, this will serve as a basis to inform future scale development and validation. After this validation work is completed, there is the potential to apply findings to tailor interventions and clinical work, so that psychologists and rehabilitation professionals may be better prepared to meet the developmental needs of disabled clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Family Violence, Sibling, and Peer Aggression During Adolescence: Associations With Behavioral Health Outcomes

Bullying and sibling aggression can appear as similar behavior, though the latter is comparatively understudied. Aligned with the Theory of Intergenerational Transmission of Violence, research suggests that exposure to family violence increases an individual's risk for perpetrating violence in their own future relationships. Additionally, Problem Behavior Theory suggests that engaging in one problem behavior (e.g., bullying) increases the likelihood of engaging in other problem behavior (e.g., substance use). In Phase 1, this study of middle school students from the U.S. examined how exposure to family violence predicted membership in latent classes of bullying and sibling aggression perpetration (N = 894, sampled from four middle schools). In Phase 2, we used mixture modeling to understand how latent classes of family violence, sibling aggression, and bullying predict future substance use, mental health outcomes, and deviance behavior later in high school. Results yielded four profiles of peer and sibling aggression: high all, high sibling aggression, high peer aggression, and low all aggression. Youth who reported witnessing more family violence at home were significantly more likely to fall into the sibling aggression only and high all classes, compared to the low all class. Phase 2 results also yielded four classes: a high all class, a sibling aggression and family violence class, a peer aggression class, and a low all class. Individuals in the high all class were more likely to experience several unfavorable outcomes (substance use, depression, delinquency) compared to other classes. This study provides evidence for pathways from witnessing violence, to perpetrating aggression across multiple contexts, to developing other deleterious mental and behavioral health outcomes. These findings highlight the negative impact family violence can have on child development, providing support for a cross-contextual approach for programming aimed at developing relationships skills.

Disruption of Transitions in High-Risk Substance Use from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: School, Employment, and Romantic Relationship Factors

Background: Few studies have examined social-contextual moderators of substance use transitions from adolescence to young adulthood. A better understanding of the extent to which school, employment, and romantic relationships can disrupt high-risk use patterns could inform strategies for substance use prevention and treatment.Objective: The current study examines the extent school, employment, and relationship factors can disrupt transition in high-risk substance use patterns from adolescence to young adulthood.Method: Data were collected biennially from 662 youth in six assessments across ten years (2003-2013). Using latent transition analysis (LTA) that examined transition is substance use classes, we examined school, employment, and relationship moderators of use transitions.Results: Few differences were found during adolescence with the most significant findings occurring in the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. Examining the transitions from adolescence to young adulthood (W4 to W6), we found evidence that school, employment, and relationship status disrupted problematic substance use patterns, such that, individuals that indicated entering school, working full-time, or getting married or entering a relationship were more likely to transition to a low-risk substance use class than remain in the high-risk class.Conclusions/Importance: Findings underscore the importance of school completion, obtaining stable career employment, and quality relationship to help reduce high-risk substance use patterns leading into young adulthood. Prevention and intervention efforts should consider the diverse needs of youth and be prepared to provide a wide range of services that include educational opportunities and career development if they want to reduce high-risk substance use patterns.

Examining Within-Person and Between-Person Associations of Family Violence and Peer Deviance on Bullying Perpetration among Middle School Students

OBJECTIVE

Family violence and peer deviance have shown to be related to bullying perpetration. Although there are several cross-sectional investigations of these two factors in relation to bullying behavior, no known studies have examined their interactive associations. The current study examines the longitudinal associations of both factors on bullying perpetration using a multi-level approach.

METHOD

Participants included 1,194 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th grade students from four middle schools in a Midwest county. We examined the main and interactive relations between how individual reports of family violence and peer deviance fluctuated over time (i.e., within-person effects) and how average reported differences between individuals (i.e., between-person effects) were associated with levels of bullying perpetration.

RESULTS

Positive main effects were found for both family violence and peer deviance on levels of bullying perpetration. Within-person effects indicated that, on average, fluctuations from one's 'typical' levels in family violence and peer deviance were associated with contemporaneous increases in bullying perpetration. A statistically significant time-variant interaction revealed that within-person family violence significantly exacerbated the relationship between within-person peer deviance and bullying perpetration. Furthermore, a statistically significant cross-level interaction revealed that the association between within-person peer deviance and bullying perpetration was stronger for individuals with higher average levels of between-person family violence (+1SD) compared to lower levels (-1SD).

IMPLICATIONS

These findings provide a more nuanced lens from which to view the co-occurring relations between family and peer ecologies. Prevention and intervention efforts should target peer relations to reduce the effect of family violence on bullying behavior.

Patterns of marijuana use and physical health indicators among Canadian youth

We examine how trajectories of marijuana use in Canadian youth (ages 15 to 28) are related to physical health indicators in adolescence and young adulthood. Youth were initially recruited in 2003 (N = 662; 48% male; ages 12 to 18) and followed for six waves. Five trajectories of marijuana use (Abstainers-29%, Occasional users-27%, Decreasers-14%, Increasers-20% and Chronic users-11%) were identified. Chronic users reported more physical symptoms, poorer physical self-concept, less physical activity, poorer eating practices, less sleep, and higher number of sexual partners during adolescence than other classes. Decreasers also reported poorer physical self-concept and poorer eating practices than abstainers. Other trajectory classes showed few significant health problems. Chronic users also reported more acute health problems (i.e. serious injuries, early sexual debut, higher number of sexual partners, greater likelihood of having a STI) in young adulthood than all other classes contributing to costs of healthcare. Youth who engage in early, frequent and continued use of marijuana from adolescence to young adulthood are at-risk of physical health problems in adolescence and young adulthood.

Do Classes of Polysubstance Use in Adolescence Differentiate Growth in Substances Used in the Transition to Young Adulthood?

BACKGROUND

Past studies have differentiated classes of polysubstance use in adolescence, however, the associations of adolescent polysubstance use classes with longitudinal substance use trajectories from adolescence to young adulthood have not been studied.

OBJECTIVE

The current study examined substance use classes during adolescence and longitudinal trajectories of each substance used across the transition to young adulthood.

METHOD

Data were collected biennially from 662 youth and followed 10 years across six measurement assessments. Using baseline data (T1), latent class analysis was used to identify classes of polysubstance use (cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, and illicit drug use) during adolescence. Using T2 through T6 data, we fit latent growth models for cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, and illicit drug use to examine longitudinal trajectories of each substance used by class.

RESULTS

A three-class model fit the data best and included a poly-use class, that had high probabilities of use among all substances, a co-use class, that had high probabilities of use among alcohol and marijuana, and a low-use class that had low probabilities of use among all substances. We then examined trajectories of each substance used by class. Strong continuity of substance use was found by class across 14 years. Additionally, for some substances, higher average levels of use of at age 14 were associated with change in growth of other substances used over time. Conclusions/Importance: Efforts that only target a single drug type may be missing an important opportunity to reduce the use and subsequent consequences related to the use of multiple substances.

Exposure to parental and community violence and the relationship to bullying perpetration and victimization among early adolescents: A parallel process growth mixture latent transition analysis

This study examined heterogeneity in parental and community violence exposure during middle school and its association with bullying perpetration and victimization in high school. Youth (N = 1,611) in four Midwestern middle schools participated. Parallel process growth mixture latent transition analysis was used to understand how trajectory profiles of middle school violence exposure was associated with high school bullying profiles. Impulsivity, depression, school belonging, and delinquency were assessed as moderators of the transition probabilities. A three class solution was found for violence exposure: decreasing parental violence/increasing community violence (n = 103; 6.4%), stable high parental violence and low community violence (n = 1,027; 63.7%), and increasing parental violence and stable high community violence (n = 481; 29.8%). Similarly, a three class solution was found for high school bullying: High Bullying Perpetration and High Victimization class (n = 259; 16%), Victimization only (n = 1145; 71%), and low all class (n = 207; 13%). The largest proportion of youth transitioning into the high bullying and high victimization class were from the decreasing parental violence/increasing community violence. Depression, impulsivity, school belonging, and delinquency all had various moderating effects on transition probabilities. Our findings make it apparent that early forms of parental and community violence are associated with aggressive behaviors and experiences with victimization during high school. Prevention and intervention efforts should target individuals who display early and chronic patterns of exposure to violence as these individuals have the greatest risk of later aggressive and victimization in high school.

Developmental Changes in Deviant and Violent Behaviors from Early to Late Adolescence: Associations with Parental Monitoring and Peer Deviance

OBJECTIVE

The continuity of adolescent deviant and violent behaviors have serious implications for engagement in criminal activities in adulthood. The current study examined parenting and peer ecologies on the development of deviant and violent behaviors during adolescence.

METHOD

An accelerated longitudinal design was used to analyze the associations of parental monitoring and peer deviance on the trajectories of adolescent deviant and violent behaviors from Spring of 5th grade through Spring of 11th grade (N = 1,162). A series of multilevel models were fitted to the data using full information maximum-likelihood estimation. Between- and within-person associations were used to test the moderating effects of parental monitoring on the development of deviant and violent behaviors.

RESULTS

Changes in deviant and violent behaviors were evident across adolescence. Support for the moderating effect of between- and within-person parental monitoring on the development of deviant and violent behaviors in adolescence was found. Two cross-level interactions among within-person peer deviance and between-person parental monitoring, and within-person parental monitoring and between-person peer deviance were found, suggesting support for the moderating effect of parental monitoring. Additionally, a significant interaction among between-person parental monitoring and between-person peer deviance indicated that individuals who reported lower levels of parental monitoring and higher levels of peer deviance reported the highest levels of deviant and violent behaviors, and adolescents who reported higher levels of parental monitoring and higher levels of peer deviance reported less positive growth.

CONCLUSION

The findings underscore the important role parents play in offsetting the adverse outcomes of having deviant friends.

Transitions in the use of multiple substances from adolescence to young adulthood

BACKGROUND

Research indicates that many adolescents frequently use multiple substances. This study examines stability and transitions in the use and co-use of multiple substances (cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, illicit drugs) from adolescence to young adulthood.

METHODS

Data were collected biennially from 662 youth in six assessments across ten years (2003-2013). We used latent class analysis (LCA) to classify youth by substances used at each wave and used latent transition analysis (LTA) to examine transition probabilities across waves.

RESULTS

At each wave, a three-class model best fit the data. Classes included a poly-use class, that had the highest probabilities of use among all substances, a co-use class, that had high probabilities of use of alcohol and marijuana, and an alcohol-dominate class that started with low probabilities of use among all substances but showed increasing probabilities of alcohol use, at later ages. LTA showed that the probability of remaining in the poly-use class was the most stable from one wave to the next, followed by the alcohol-dominate class, and the co-use class. The most transitions occurred for the co-use class, with more individuals transitioning to the poly-use class than to the alcohol-dominate class.

CONCLUSIONS

Strong stability among adolescent substance use classes was found between waves. Transitions were typically to classes using more substances, although, transitions to use fewer substances was evident for some individuals. Distinguishing stable and transitioning classes of substance use and co-use provides opportunities for prevention and intervention to disrupt high-risk use classes.

Poly-victimization and trajectories of binge drinking from adolescence to young adulthood among serious juvenile offenders

BACKGROUND

Justice involved youth exposed to multiple forms of victimization (i.e., poly-victimization) may be at risk for long term substance use problems and difficulty in self-regulation, placing them at higher risk of long-term problematic behaviors. This study empirically identifies victimization classifications in a sample of justice involved youth and how long-term binge drinking is related to victimization experiences. We further sought to understand how self-regulatory abilities such as impulse control and emotion regulation effect emergent profiles and binge drinking trajectories.

METHODS

Based on a sample of 1354 justice involved youth from 15 to 25 years old, classes of victimization were extracted. Emergent classes were examined in relationship to their binge drinking trajectories using latent growth models. Finally, self-regulation was examined as a predictor of binge drinking trajectories across emergent classes.

RESULTS

The analyses indicated three classes of victimization: poly-victimized, indirectly victimized, and lowly victimized. Latent growth models revealed that the poly-victimized class had significantly steeper growth in binge drinking as compared to the indirect and low victimized patterns. Impulse and emotional regulation both significantly decelerated binge drinking only for the indirect victimization group.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight the need to focus on poly-victimization in understanding binge drinking trajectories as well as the role impulse control and emotional regulation play among justice involved youth. Findings are discussed through the lens of adolescent development, coping strategies, and early traumatic experiences.

If you're high status and you know it: Teasing apart the within- and between-person effects of peer- and self-reported status in the drinking group on alcohol-related outcomes

In this longitudinal study, we disentangled within- and between-persons effects in the relationship between university students' status in their drinking group and alcohol-related behavior. We further examined the role of self-perceived and peer-reported status, with the hypothesis that only when students' peers reported them as of a higher status, and they were aware of their high status (via self-report), would they experience increased heavy episodic drinking (HED). University students (N = 118; Mage = 19.40, SD = 1.49; 60.2% women) were recruited in their natural drinking groups (N = 27). All group members completed surveys at 3 time points during the school year, each 2 months apart. We fitted a taxonomy of multilevel growth curve models predicting students' self-reported HED and the extent to which they encouraged other group members to consume alcohol (peer-reported). Between-persons results demonstrated that students who reported higher status compared to their group members experienced more HED on average and students who were peer-reported as of a higher status relative to their group members played a more salient role in encouraging others to drink. Notably, and consistent with hypotheses, a within-person interaction revealed that at time points when students were higher in peer-reported status relative to their average, and they were aware of their increase in status (via self-reports), they also engaged in more HED. Results emphasize the importance of considering within-person effects and highlight the need for university alcohol-prevention programming to focus on students' status-related motives and concerns. (PsycINFO Database Record

Effect of Victimization on Impulse Control and Binge Drinking among Serious Juvenile Offenders from Adolescence to Young Adulthood

A vast literature has found longitudinal effects of early life stress on substance use and self-regulatory processes. These associations may vary by period-specific development among youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The current study used an accelerated longitudinal design and auto-regressive latent trajectory with structure residuals (ALT-SR) model to examine the within-person cross-lagged associations between binge drinking, impulse control, and victimization from 15 to 25 years of age. A large sample (N = 1100) of justice-involved youth were followed longitudinally for 7 years (M age baseline  = 15.8, M age conclusion  = 22.8). In general, the sample was ethnically diverse (41% Black, 34% Hispanic, 21% White, 4.3% Other) and primarily male (87.2%). Participants reported on their frequency of binge drinking, impulse control, and frequency of victimization at each time point. The results indicated that, during adolescence, victimization and binge drinking attenuated impulse control, which resulted in more binge drinking and victimization during young adulthood. The current study highlights the importance of assessing developmental processes and period-specific transitions among at risk youth, especially for youth experiencing early life stress.

Social Ecological Determinants of Substance Use Treatment Entry Among Serious Juvenile Offenders From Adolescence Through Emerging Adulthood

PURPOSE

To examine the social-ecological determinants of substance use treatment entry among serious juvenile offenders over a 7 year period. Using the social-ecological framework, relevant predictors of substance use from the literature were used to assess risk (and protective) factors at the individual, parental, peer and neighborhood level.

METHOD

Serious juvenile offenders (N=1354, M_{age baseline}=16.0 years, SD=1.14) were prospectively followed over 7 years (M_{age Conclusion}=23.0 years, SD=1.15). Cox regression with time invariant and time varying predictors was used to predict time to first substance use treatment entry.

RESULTS

Results for each dimension, separately, varied slightly from the full model. In the full model peer delinquency, peer arrests, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), impulse control, temperament, and emotional regulation remained salient risk (and protective) factors for treatment entry.

CONCLUSION

Associating with more deviant peers and having more of your peers arrested over the 7 year study period was associated with substantial increase in time to treatment entry. Furthermore, one of the strongest risk factors for treatment entry was a PTSD diagnosis. Treatment implications are discussed regarding peer affiliation and PTSD symptomology as well as potential neurological and biological contributors to increased risk for treatment entry.

The longitudinal associations between substance use, crime, and social risk among emerging adults: A longitudinal within and between-person latent variables analysis

BACKGROUND

The reciprocal relationship between crime and substance use is well known. However, when examining this relationship, no study to date has disaggregated between- and within-person effects, which represents a more methodologically sound and developmentally-appropriate analytic approach. Further, few studies have considered the role of social risk (e.g., deviant peers, high-risk living situations) in the aforementioned relationship. We examined these associations in a group of individuals with heightened vulnerability to substance use, crime and social risk: emerging adults (aged 18-25 years) in substance use treatment.

METHODS

Participants were 3479 emerging adults who had entered treatment. We used auto-regressive latent growth models with structured residuals (ALT-SR) to examine the within-person cross-lagged association between crime and substance use and whether social risk contributed to this association. A taxonomy of nested models was used to determine the structural form of the data, within-person cross-lagged associations, and between-person associations.

RESULTS

In contrast to the extant literature on cross-lagged relations between crime and substance use, we found little evidence of such relations once between- and within-person relations were plausibly disaggregated. Yet, our results indicated that within-person increases in social risk were predictive of subsequent increases in crime and substance use. Post-hoc analyses revealed a mediation effect of social risk between crime and substance use.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest the need to re-think the association between crime and substance use among emerging adults. Individuals that remain connected to high-risk social environments after finishing treatment may represent a group that could use more specialized, tailored treatments.

Are the risk and protective factors similar for gang-involved, pressured-to-join, and non-gang-involved youth? A social-ecological analysis

This study examines the risk and protective factors for gang involvement among subgroups of youth (i.e., current or former gang members, youth who resisted gang membership, and non-gang-involved youth) using the social-ecological framework. Middle and high school students (N = 17,366) from school districts in a large Midwestern county participated. Results indicated that males were more likely than females to be involved in gangs. For the individual context, our findings indicate that racial and ethnic minorities, females, and youth with depression/suicidal ideation are likely to be at risk for gang involvement. For the family context, we found that having gang-involved family members and family dysfunction are related to youth gang involvement. For the peer context, peers' alcohol and drug use and bullying were significantly associated with gang involvement. For the school context, as our results demonstrate, youth who perceived fair treatment from teachers and other adults in school and those with a sense of belonging in school are more likely to avoid gang membership. For the neighborhood context, we found that presence of adult support in the neighborhood and perceived neighborhood safety are negatively associated with gang membership. Findings suggest that gang prevention efforts need to target multiple ecologies that surround and influence youth. (PsycINFO Database Record

Examining within-person and between-person effects of victimization and social risk on cannabis use among emerging adults in substance-use treatment

The goals of this study were to examine associations between within- and between-person social risk and victimization and cannabis use among emerging adults in substance-use treatment. We also tested gender differences for both victimization and social risk. Participants consisted of 3,052 emerging adults (M(age) = 20.0 years; SD = 2.21) entering substance-use treatment in a wide range of treatment centers across the United States. Individuals were assessed on all measures at baseline 3, 6, and 12 months. We fitted a taxonomy of multilevel growth curve models to test main effects, and interactive relations between within- and between-person social risk, victimization, and gender on cannabis use. Several significant interactions were evident. Irrespective of gender, within-person increases in social risk were associated with contemporaneous increases in cannabis use; however, the magnitude of this relation was comparatively more pronounced for men. Similar gender differences emerged between individuals. Males experiencing heightened social risk over time tended to show high levels of early cannabis use. Simple slope analyses revealed that reporting more (+1 SD) social risk than one's own mean resulted in significant increases in cannabis use for both men and women. Cross-level simple slope analyses revealed no differences in cannabis use among individuals reporting low (-1 SD) social risk and victimization, but significant increases in cannabis use for individuals reporting high (+ 1 SD) victimization and social risk. Results demonstrate support for gender differences in social risk on cannabis use and the importance of considering within-person effects. (PsycINFO Database Record