Age-Varying Associations Between COVID-19-Related Racial Discrimination and Chinese American Adolescents' Political Civic Engagement

The COVID-19 pandemic has made historically rooted anti-Asian racism, xenophobia, and civic activism in the United States highly salient, creating a heightened need for Asian American youth to redress racial injustice through civic engagement. However, little is known about Chinese American adolescents' civic engagement in response to racial discrimination. The present study investigated the age-varying associations between Chinese American adolescents' experiences of COVID-19-related racial discrimination and their political civic engagement at the intersection of race and gender, as well as the moderating roles of ethnic identity affirmation and parental civic socialization in these associations. The participants were 295 10- to 18-year-old Chinese American adolescents (Mage = 14.1 years, SD = 2.2 years; 52% girls) and their parents (Mage = 44.2 years, SD = 6.0 years; 79% mothers). Time-varying effect modeling showed that experiences of racial discrimination were negatively associated with political civic engagement in middle adolescence. This negative association was found only among girls but not boys. High ethnic identity affirmation and parental civic socialization not only buffered Chinese American adolescents against the impact of racial discrimination but even promoted their greater political civic engagement across adolescence. These findings revealed the age trends and important individual and contextual facilitators of Chinese American adolescents' political civic participation in the context of the racialized pandemic of COVID-19, which can inform culturally and developmentally targeted education and intervention efforts that promote the civic development of Chinese American adolescents.

Does sleep relate to next-day cannabis use during treatment? Findings from an adolescent and young adult motivational enhancement and cognitive behavioral therapy plus topiramate intervention

BACKGROUND

Interventions for youth cannabis use have limited efficacy. Sleep is likely to affect treatment response, as sleep difficulties are cross-sectionally associated with use and common during treatment. This analysis examined how sleep duration and subjective trouble sleeping related to next-day cannabis use among youth during cannabis treatment.

METHOD

Participants (N=64) received a psychosocial intervention plus topiramate versus placebo while completing a 6-week ecological momentary assessment study. Time-varying effect modeling (TVEM) examined within- and between-person associations between sleep and cannabis use and how the strength of within-person associations varied over the course of treatment.

RESULTS

TVEM resvealed that, between-participants, youth with longer average sleep duration used cannabis less often controlling for baseline cannabis use, topiramate, and weekend status. Daily within-person fluctuations in sleep duration and trouble were not associated with use.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest regularly shorter sleep may impede treatment outcomes. Adolescents who regularly have insufficient sleep durations likely need additional intervention to improve sleep difficulties in tandem with cannabis use reduction.

Is Young Adulthood a Critical Period for Suicidal Behavior among Sexual Minorities? Results from a US National Sample

The developmental timing of suicide-related disparities between heterosexuals and sexual minorities (i.e., lesbian/gay and bisexual (LGB) people) is an understudied area that has critical prevention implications. In addition to developmentally situated experiences that shape risk for suicidality in the general population, sexual minorities also experience unique social stressors (e.g., anti-LGB stigma) that may alter their risk for suicidal behavior at different ages. Using a nationally representative US sample of adults, we assessed age-varying rates of suicidal behavior among heterosexuals and sexual minorities ages 18 to 60 and the age-varying association between anti-LGB discrimination and suicidal behavior. We also tested whether these age-varying prevalences and associations differed for men and women and for sexual minorities who did and did not endorse a sexual minority identity. Results indicate a critical period for suicide behavior risk for sexual minorities during young adulthood, with the highest rates of risk at age 18 followed by a steady decline until the early 40s. Disparities were particularly robust for sexual minorities who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. This pattern was present for both men and women, though sexual minority women in their 30s were more likely to report suicidal behavior than heterosexuals and sexual minority men. Sexual minorities who experienced anti-LGB discrimination were more likely to report suicidal behavior, but the significance of this association was limited to those under 30. The effect of discrimination on suicidal behavior was stronger among young adult sexual minority men, relative to sexual minority women, but was present for a wider age range for sexual minority women (until age 30) relative to sexual minority men (until age 25).

Age trends in alcohol use behavior patterns among U.S. adults ages 18-65

INTRODUCTION

Although much of the work on risky alcohol use behaviors, such as heavy drinking, focuses on adolescence and young adulthood, these behaviors are associated with negative health consequences across all ages. Existing studies on age trends have focused on a single alcohol use behavior across many ages, using methods such as time-varying effect modeling, or a single age period with many behaviors, using methods such as latent class analysis. This study integrates aspects of both modeling approaches to examine age trends in alcohol use behavior patterns across ages 18-65.

METHODS

Data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III were used to identify past-year alcohol use behavior patterns among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (n = 30,997; 51.1% women; 63.5% White Non-Hispanic) and flexibly estimate nonlinear trends in the prevalences of those patterns across ages 18-65.

RESULTS

Five patterns were identified: Non-Drinkers, Frequent Light Drinkers, Infrequent Heavy Episodic Drinkers, Frequent Heavy Episodic Drinkers, and Extreme Drinkers. Pattern prevalences were allowed to vary flexibly across the entire age range. Prevalences of the Infrequent Heavy Episodic and Extreme Drinkers peaked around ages 22-24, but peaked for Frequent Heavy Episodic Drinkers around age 49. Non-Drinkers were most prevalent across all ages except during the early 20 s when Extreme Drinkers were more prevalent. Around ages 24-30, the Non-, Frequent Light, and Extreme Drinkers were approximately equally prevalent.

CONCLUSIONS

The approach used here holds promise for understanding characteristics associated with behavior patterns at different ages and long-term age trends in complex behaviors.

Time-varying effects of family smoking and family management on adolescent daily smoking: The moderating roles of behavioral disinhibition and anxiety

BACKGROUND

Family smoking environment and family management are associated with risk of teen smoking behaviors. However, less is known about whether these associations increase or decrease in strength across adolescence, and whether there are person-environment interactions. The current study examined 1) the age-varying main effects of family smoking and family management on adolescent daily smoking from ages 12-18 and tested 2) whether behavioral disinhibition and anxiety moderated these relationships.

METHODS

Data were drawn from the Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP; N = 808), a longitudinal study examining prosocial and antisocial behavior. Analyses used time-varying effect modeling (TVEM), which tested the stability of the relationship between family smoking and family management and youth daily smoking across adolescence.

RESULTS

Greater family smoking increased the likelihood of adolescent daily smoking, whereas greater family management reduced the likelihood of daily smoking. Significant interactions between family management and youth behavioral disinhibition and anxiety during early and mid-adolescence indicated that family management was more protective for adolescents with low (compared to high) behavioral disinhibition and anxiety. The effect of family smoking was not moderated by behavioral disinhibition or anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

Family smoking and family management are key risk and protective factors that may be targeted for adolescent smoking prevention. Our interaction results for individual differences in behavioral disinhibition and anxiety suggest that certain types of youth may respond differently to family management practices. Findings also show periods during adolescence where family-centered preventive interventions could be optimally timed to prevent or reduce persistent adolescent smoking.

Investigating how perceived risk and availability of marijuana relate to marijuana use among adolescents in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay over time

AIMS

Amid changing marijuana policies in the Southern Cone, we examined relationships between marijuana-related risk factors and marijuana use among adolescents in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay from 2001 to 2016.

METHODS

Using cross-sectional surveys from 8^th, 10^th, and 12^th graders and weighted time-varying effect models, we estimated associations between perceived risk (no/low risk versus moderate/great risk) and perceived availability (easy/very easy versus difficult/very difficult/not able to obtain) of marijuana, and any past-month marijuana use.

RESULTS

In all countries, marijuana use increased over time and adolescents who perceived no/low risk and easy availability had higher odds of use. In Argentina, the bivariate risk/use association weakened from 2001 (OR = 15.24, 95%CI = 9.63, 24.12) to 2004 [OR = 3.86 (2.72, 5.48)] and strengthened until 2011 [OR = 8.22 (7.56, 10.30)]; the availability/use association strengthened from 2005 [OR = 5.32 (4.05, 6.98)] to 2009 [OR = 20.77 (15.57, 27.70)] and weakened until 2014 [OR = 11.00 (9.11, 13.27)]. In Chile, the risk/use association weakened from 2001 [OR = 7.22 (6.57, 7.95)] to 2015 [OR = 5.58 (4.82, 6.48)]; the availability/use association weakened from 2001 [OR = 5.92 (4.96, 7.06)] to 2015 [OR = 4.10 (3.15, 5.34)]. In Uruguay, the risk/use association weakened from 2003 [OR = 34.22 (22.76, 51.46)] to 2016 [OR = 6.23 (4.96, 7.83)]; the availability/use association weakened from 2005 [OR = 29.13 (13.39, 63.39) to 2007 [OR = 9.42 (3.85, 23.07)], and strengthened until 2016 [OR = 22.68 (12.03, 42.76)].

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the association between risk and use weakened in all countries, suggesting risk perceptions became a weaker determinant of marijuana use. Perceived availability remained strongly associated with use and may become an increasingly important driver of use (particularly in Uruguay and Argentina).

The end of convergence in developmental patterns of frequent marijuana use from ages 18 to 30: An analysis of cohort change from 1976-2016

BACKGROUND

This study examines the extent to which the developmental pattern of frequent marijuana use prevalence from ages 18 to 30 (overall and by gender) has varied across historical time (cohort groups) using data from a national sample of US young adults.

METHODS

Self-reported data on frequent marijuana use (use on 20+ occasions in the past 30 days) from modal ages 18 to 30 were obtained from 58,059 individuals from 29 sequential cohorts (graduating high school classes of 1976-2004) participating in the Monitoring the Future study. Time-varying effect modeling was used to model cohort group differences in developmental patterns of frequent use overall and by gender.

RESULTS

Developmental patterns of frequent marijuana use prevalence varied meaningfully across cohort groups. Frequent use at age 18 differed significantly across cohort groups as expected based on national data. Among earlier cohort groups (reaching age 30 during 1987-2008), developmental patterns converged by age 30 to relatively low frequent marijuana use prevalence. In contrast, among cohort groups reaching age 30 during 2008-2016, frequent marijuana use at age 30 was significantly higher than all previous cohort groups. Observed cohort differences did not vary significantly by gender.

CONCLUSIONS

Cross-cohort convergence in developmental patterns of frequent marijuana use prevalence by age 30 was not observed among recent cohort groups, among whom age 30 frequent marijuana use prevalence was at the highest levels observed since the study began. Higher frequent marijuana use prevalence in late young adulthood has meaningful health risk and service provision implications.

Using Time-Varying Effect Modeling to Examine Age-Varying Gender Differences in Coping Throughout Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood

PURPOSE

Little is known about how and when coping trajectories differ between males and females. The current study aimed to examine gender differences in the use of specific coping strategies across developmental ages using time-varying effect modeling (TVEM) in a large, diverse community sample.

METHODS

A longitudinal study following adolescents across 4 years of high school and 5 years post graduation (N = 1,251) was combined with a nationally representative cross-sectional study of 18- to 22-year-olds (N = 595) to examine changes in gender differences in the use of coping strategies between ages 13 and 25. The same coping questionnaire was administered to both samples. TVEM was used to examine the age-varying prevalence rates of coping in males and females.

RESULTS

Gender differences were greatest during middle-to-late adolescence (15-19 years) for active coping, social support seeking, planning, and venting emotions. Females reported greater use of these strategies than males, but males' use increased over time and became equivalent to females after the age of ~19-20. Gender differences in the use of humor did not emerge until the age of 22, at which point the use of humor increased continuously among males but remained stable among females. The use of denial was fairly stable across time, with no gender differences at any age.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight the utility of TVEM for advancing our knowledge on gender and coping across developmental time, as males and females used coping strategies at differing rates throughout adolescence and emerging adulthood. Implications for tailoring gender- and age-specific intervention efforts to improve coping and related health behaviors are discussed.

Risk is still relevant: Time-varying associations between perceived risk and marijuana use among US 12th grade students from 1991 to 2016

BACKGROUND

Perceived risk of harm has long been a key preventive factor for adolescent marijuana use. However, in recent years, perceived risk has decreased markedly and marijuana use has increased only slightly, leading to new questions about their association. This study investigates the magnitude and stability of the US adolescent marijuana risk/use association from 1991 to 2016, overall and by gender and race/ethnicity.

METHODS

Self-reported data on past 12-month marijuana use, perceived risk of regular marijuana use, gender, and race/ethnicity were obtained from 275,768 US 12th grade students participating in the nationally representative Monitoring the Future study. Time-varying effect modeling (TVEM) was used to examine the marijuana risk/use association over time.

RESULTS

Both before and after controlling for gender and race/ethnicity, perceived risk was a strong protective factor against adolescent marijuana use. The magnitude of the great risk/use association strengthened for Hispanic students; remained generally stable over time for 12th graders overall, males, females, and White students; and weakened for Black students. The magnitude of the moderate risk/use association strengthened for 12th graders overall, males, females, White and Hispanic students, but did not continue to strengthen for Black students from 2005 onwards. In general, marijuana use prevalence decreased over time within all levels of perceived risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Perceived risk remains a strong protective factor for adolescent marijuana use, and the protective association for moderate risk (vs. no/slight risk) is actually increasing over time. Results suggest that accurate and credible information on the risks associated with marijuana use should remain a key component of prevention efforts.

Emergence of electronic cigarette use in US adolescents and the link to traditional cigarette use

BACKGROUND

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are increasingly used by US adolescents and may be a gateway to traditional cigarette use. We examine rates of both products by age and examine differences in age-varying rates by sex and race/ethnicity.

METHODS

Data are from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey, a national sample of US middle and high school students (n=22.007); students ages 11-19 were included. Past 30-day e-cigarette and traditional cigarette use were examined as a function of age; sex and race/ethnicity were included as moderators. The age-varying association between e-cigarette and traditional cigarette use was also examined.

RESULTS

Rates of e-cigarette use increase faster than traditional cigarette use from ages 13-16. Compared to females, males had higher rates of e-cigarette use from ages 14-17.5 and traditional cigarette use from ages 15-18. Between ages 12-14, more Hispanic adolescents used e-cigarettes compared to White or Black adolescents; after age 14 Hispanics and Whites reported similar rates, peaking at twice the rate for Blacks. Hispanic adolescents report greater traditional cigarette use versus Whites between ages 12-13, but lower rates between ages 15-18. E-cigarette use was strongly associated with traditional cigarette use, particularly during early adolescence [OR>40 before age 12].

CONCLUSIONS

Young Hispanic adolescents are at elevated risk for use of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes during early adolescence. During early adolescence, youth using e-cigarettes are more likely to smoke traditional cigarettes compared to youth not using e-cigarettes. The study of age-varying effects holds promise for advancing understanding of disparities in health risk behaviors.

The time-varying association between perceived stress and hunger within and between days

OBJECTIVE

Examine the association between perceived stress and hunger continuously over a week in free-living individuals.

METHODS

Forty five young adults (70% women, 30% overweight/obese) ages 18 to 24 years (Mean = 20.7, SD = 1.5), with BMI between 17.4 and 36.3 kg/m(2) (Mean = 23.6, SD = 4.0) provided between 513 and 577 concurrent ratings of perceived stress and hunger for 7 days via hourly, text messaging assessments and real-time eating records. Time-varying effect modeling was used to explore whether the within-day fluctuations in stress are related to perceived hunger assessed on a momentary basis.

RESULTS

A generally positive stress-hunger relationship was confirmed, but we found that the strength of the relationship was not linear. Rather, the magnitude of the association between perceived stress and hunger changed throughout the day such that only during specific time intervals were stress and hunger significantly related. Specifically, the strength of the positive association peaked during late afternoon hours on weekdays (β = 0.31, p < .05) and it peaked during evening hours on weekend days (β = 0.56, p < .05).

CONCLUSION

This is the first empirical study to demonstrate potentially maladaptive, nonlinear stress-hunger associations that peak in the afternoon or evening hours. While we are unable to infer causality from these analyses, our findings provide empirical evidence for a potentially high-risk time of day for stress-induced eating. Replication of these findings in larger, more diverse samples will aid with the design and implementation of real-time intervention studies aimed at reducing stress-eating.