Epidemiology of Youth Drug Abuse

Research Findings from February, 1999 Director's Report

This section lists selected summaries from NIDA funded research projects that investigate the epidemiology, etiology, and prevention research. The summaries provided were selected from recent issues of the Director's Report to the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse. For a more comprehensive listing of NIDA funded projects see the Director's Report.

Progressions of Alcohol, Cigarette, and Marijuana Use in Adolescence

A study at the Oregon Research Institute examined the progression of alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use among adolescents based on level of use as well as dichotomous use or nonuse. The investigators applied latent growth curve analysis to study the relative impact of level of use of prior substances on use of target substances in the following year and development of use over a 4-year period. Subjects were 374 males and 389 females with a mean age of 13.23 yrs. at first assessment. They and their parents completed a series of self-report questionnaires. The study examined three models to determine (1) the effect of prior cigarette use on alcohol use and development and the relationship between change in cigarette use and the development of alcohol use (N=115), (2) the effect of prior alcohol use on cigarette use and development and the relationship between change in alcohol use and the development of cigarette use (N=199); and (3) the effect of prior alcohol and cigarette use on marijuana use and development, and the relationship between change in alcohol use and cigarette use and the development of marijuana use (N=287). Results showed that level of cigarette use predicted subsequent levels of alcohol use 1 year later among previous nonusers of alcohol and that, over the 4-year period, those who increased their cigarette use developed faster in their use of alcohol. Marijuana use was predicted better by cigarette use than alcohol use, and higher users of cigarettes at T1 were not only more likely to be higher users of marijuana at T2 but also to increase more rapidly in their use of marijuana over the next 4 years. Duncan, S.C., Duncan, T.E., & Hops, H. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 21, pp. 375-388, 1998.

Patterns of Cigarette Smoking in Late Childhood

Early initiation of cigarette smoking so strongly predicts future smoking that several investigators have advocated delaying the age of initiation as a prevention strategy. To complement retrospective studies of early initiation, this study assessed prospectively patterns of smoking behavior in a sample of 401 children who were surveyed in the 4th, 5th and 6th grades. The principal findings were: (1) modeling of smoking by parents and friends is sufficient to influence children to initiate smoking, particularly when children also have low behavioral self-control, and (2) when modeling occurs in combination with poor adjustment to school, low parental monitoring, easy access to cigarettes, and other risk attributes, early initiators are significantly more likely to continue smoking. Jackson, C. et al., A Longitudinal Study Predicting Patterns of Cigarette Smoking in Late Childhood. Health Education and Behavior, 25(4), pp. 436-447, 1998.

Health Risk Behaviors Among Children and Adolescents

This research focused on authoritative parenting, which previous studies suggest can prevent health risk behaviors among youth. To evaluate the reliability and validity of a new survey measure of authoritative parenting, data from studies of: (1) substance use in a sample of 1,236 4th and 6th grade students; (2) weapon carrying and interpersonal violence in a sample of 1,490 9th and 10th grade students and (3) anger, alienation and conflict resolution in a sample of 224 7th and 8th grade students were analyzed. The Authoritative Parenting Index had a factor structure consistent with other studies, had acceptable validity, and showed grade, sex, and ethnic differences consistent with other studies (e.g., authoritative parenting decreases with age, whites report increased levels of authoritative parenting when compared to than other ethnic groups). In addition, parenting types were identified that varied as hypothesized with multiple indicators of social competence and health risk behaviors among children and adolescents. Jackson, C., et al. The Authoritative Parenting Index: Predicting Health Risk Behaviors Among Children and Adolescents. Health Education and Behavior, 25(3), pp. 319-337, 1998.