Abstracts of the Scientific Programs of the American College Health Association Fifty-Ninth Annual Meeting April 21–24, 1981, Boston,Massachusetts

Abstract

The authors examined changes in college students' illicit drug use, patterns of polydrug use, and the relationship between students' ages of initiation of substance use and later use of marijuana and other illicit drugs between 1993 and 2001. Data from 119 US colleges and universities in the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study were used in the study. They found significant increases in percentages of students' use of marijuana in the past 30 days (from 13% to 17%), past year (from 23% to 30%), and lifetime (from 41% to 47%) between 1993 and 2001, with most of the increase occurring between 1993 and 1997. Past 30-day use of other illicit drugs increased from 4% to 7% and past year use increased from 11% to 14%. More than 98% of marijuana and other illicit drug users used another substance. They also either smoked, were binge drinkers, and/or were users of another illicit drug. Drug prevention programs should emphasize heavy alcohol use and smoking and should start when students are in high school or earlier.     

Longitudinal Effects of Best‐Friend Communication Against Substance Use for Latino and Non‐Latino White Early Adolescents

Prior research examining peer influences on adolescent alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use has primarily focused on the positive associations that peer substance use and offers have with adolescent use. Consequently, such research has often emphasized the negative influences of peers. This study, however, operationalizes peer influence through best‐friend communication against substance use and examines whether it indirectly protects against substance use by promoting anti–substance use norms. Structural equation modeling was utilized with longitudinal survey data from 277 Latino and 350 non‐Latino white 6th–8th‐grade‐students. For Latino and non‐Latino white students, best‐friend communication was indirectly related to alcohol and cigarette use through norms. Best‐friend communication also was indirectly related to marijuana use, but only for non‐Latino white students and for male students.     

A Longitudinal Analysis of Adolescent Substance Use and School Motivation Among African American Youth

Cross‐sectional research has shown a link between adolescent substance use and educational motivation. The purpose of the current study was to examine this link in a longitudinal sample of African American youth. The study examined the interrelationships between alcohol and both marijuana use and school motivation over the high school years and their effect on graduation in 681 African American adolescents (50.8% female). School motivation was shown to relate to subsequent alcohol use throughout high school and marijuana use early in high school. School motivation did not affect graduation status, but alcohol and marijuana use were related to a lower likelihood of graduating from high school. Some gender differences and differences among those who had tried alcohol or marijuana at the first wave as opposed to those who had not tried each substance were found. The findings support a systems model where school experiences can affect substance use, which, in turn, can affect the completion of high school.     

Psychosocial correlates of recreational ecstasy use among college students

College students' ecstasy (MDMA) use increased significantly in recent years, yet little is known about these students. In this study, the authors used the Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Studies (CORE) survey to compare 29 college students who had used ecstasy and other illicit drugs with 90 students who had used marijuana and no other illicit drugs. They noted differences in age, frequency of alcohol and marijuana use, average age of onset of marijuana use, frequency of negative consequences associated with substance use, perceptions of peer norms' drug use, perceived peer acceptance of substance use, and risk perception of substance use. When they entered polysubstance use as a covariate, many of these correlates became nonsignificant. The authors suggest that college ecstasy initiators may be a cohort of marijuana users who tend to engage in multiple risk-taking behaviors. This study serves as a preliminary effort to better understand college students who use ecstasy recreationally.     

Substitution of marijuana for alcohol: the role of perceived access and harm

Research has shown significant declines in gateway drug use among participants in a school/community substance abuse prevention intervention in a midwestern, suburban school district (Lohrmann, Alter, Greene, & Younoszai, 2005). Though still at or below national levels, student marijuana use was not impacted as positively. The current study investigated the possibility that efforts to prevent alcohol use resulted in an unintentional substitution effect thereby increasing marijuana use. Factors including perceived access to alcohol and marijuana, along with perceived harm associated with alcohol and marijuana use, were examined to determine their role in marijuana use. Findings revealed a relationship between perceived access to and perceptions of harm associated with marijuana and its use that depended on the level of perceived access to and harm associated with alcohol.     

Age‐Specific Associations Between Violence Exposure and Past 30‐Day Marijuana and Alcohol Use

Using data from a cohort study of students at risk for high school dropout, we examined associations between violence exposure and past 30‐day alcohol and marijuana use. We used varying‐coefficient regression with person‐level fixed effects to estimate how those associations changed within‐person across ages approximately 14–23. Generally, violence perpetration was most strongly associated with substance use, within‐person. Substance use became increasingly associated with both observed violence and violence perpetration during early/middle adolescence; this increase continued longer into development (age 18+) for alcohol use. Across most of the age range studied here, violence victimization was minimally associated with within‐person changes in substance use. Results indicate age‐specific associations between violence exposure and alcohol and other drug use, which may be useful for informing prevention strategies.     

Internalizing Symptoms,Peer Substance Use,and Substance Use Initiation

This study used longitudinal survey and social network data covering sixth through ninth grades to test whether internalizing symptoms make early adolescents more prone to (1) exposure to and (2) influence by substance‐using peers. Random effects regressions revealed that increases in symptoms were significantly associated with increases in the proportion of friends who used cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana; some associations weakened across grades. Event history models revealed that the effect of friends' smoking on smoking initiation decreased as internalizing symptoms increased; symptoms did not moderate the effects of friends' alcohol and marijuana use on alcohol and marijuana use initiation. These findings counter the influence hypothesis of the co‐occurrence of internalizing symptoms with substance use and partly support the exposure hypothesis.     

INTERGENERATIONAL EFFECTS OF WELFARE REFORM: ADOLESCENT DELINQUENT AND RISKY BEHAVIORS

This study investigates effects of welfare reform in the United States on the next generation. Most previous studies of effects of welfare reform on adolescents focused on high‐school dropout of girls or fertility; little is known about how welfare reform has affected other teenage behaviors or boys. We use a difference‐in‐difference‐in‐differences framework to identify gender‐specific effects of welfare reform on skipping school, fighting, damaging property, stealing, hurting others, smoking, alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drugs. Welfare reform led to increases in delinquent behaviors of boys as well as increases in substance use of boys and girls, with substantially larger effects for boys. (JEL K42, I12, I31, I38)     

Long-term impact of a district-wide school/community-based substance abuse prevention initiative on gateway drug use

This study examined long-term effects of a school/family/community substance abuse prevention partnership intervention lead by a Midwestern school district. Previous findings suggested that the program contributed to decreased tobacco and marijuana, but not alcohol, use prior to and after implementation between 1987 and 1991. The current study examined 8th-12th grade student drug use prevalence data from 1991 and 2003 to determine whether previous program effects were sustained. With one exception, reported lifetime and monthly cigarette use decreased below 1991 levels for all grades. Lifetime and monthly alcohol use decreased below 1991 levels for most grades, a result not previously detected. While still below national rates, reported lifetime use of marijuana increased for all grades over time. The intervention was effective in reducing cigarette and alcohol use over time and in suppressing marijuana use levels below national rates; however, these gains tended to erode in later high school grades.     

Voluntary After‐School Alcohol and Drug Programs for Middle School Youth: If You Build it Right,They Will Come

Few after‐school programs target alcohol and other drug (AOD) use because it is difficult to encourage a diverse group of youth to voluntarily attend. The current study describes CHOICE, a voluntary after‐school program which targeted AOD use among middle school students. Over 4,000 students across eight schools completed surveys and 15% participated in CHOICE. Analyses indicated that there were some differences between CHOICE participants and nonparticipants. For example, African American and multiethnic students were more likely to attend. Past month alcohol users were more likely to initially attend, and marijuana users were more likely to continue attendance. Thus, CHOICE reached students of different racial and ethnic groups and attracted higher risk youth who may not typically obtain prevention services.     

Substance Use Patterns and Consequences Among Lesbians,Gays, and Bisexuals

Substance abuse among gays and lesbians may be considered a “neglected area” of drug use research in criminology and criminal justice. In the current study, we seek to address the lack of scientific inquiry on substance use among lesbians, gays, and bisexuals by drawing from an availability sample of 179 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults to examine substance use patterns as well as the relationship of self-esteem with problems associated with using alcohol and drugs. Results showed consistency in the frequency of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine use in the past year; however, more gay and bisexual men than gay and bisexual women reported problems stemming from substance use.     

How Academic Achievement,Attitudes, and Behaviors Relate to the Course of Substance Use During Adolescence: A 6‐Year,Multiwave National Longitudinal Study

Self‐report data regarding alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use were collected biennially from ages 14 to 20 in a nationally representative panel sample of adolescents (N=1,897) from the Monitoring the Future study. Growth curve analyses were performed using hierarchical linear modeling to consider psychosocial background, motivation and school attitudes, and parental and peer influences at age 14 as predictors of concurrent substance use and change in substance use. Results indicated that school misbehavior and peer encouragement of misbehavior were positively associated with substance use at age 14 and with increased use over time; school bonding, school interest, school effort, academic achievement, and parental help with school were negatively associated. The protective effects of positive school attitudes and perceptions of high status connected to academics were stronger for low‐achieving compared with high‐achieving youth. Implications for a developmental perspective on substance use etiology and prevention are discussed.     

Trends in marijuana and other illicit drug use among college students: results from 4 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study surveys: 1993-2001

The authors examined changes in college students' illicit drug use, patterns of polydrug use, and the relationship between students' ages of initiation of substance use and later use of marijuana and other illicit drugs between 1993 and 2001. Data from 119 US colleges and universities in the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study were used in the study. They found significant increases in percentages of students' use of marijuana in the past 30 days (from 13% to 17%), past year (from 23% to 30%), and lifetime (from 41% to 47%) between 1993 and 2001, with most of the increase occurring between 1993 and 1997. Past 30-day use of other illicit drugs increased from 4% to 7% and past year use increased from 11% to 14%. More than 98% of marijuana and other illicit drug users used another substance. They also either smoked, were binge drinkers, and/or were users of another illicit drug. Drug prevention programs should emphasize heavy alcohol use and smoking and should start when students are in high school or earlier.     

Measurement of risk and protective factors for drug use and anti-social behavior among high school students in South Africa

The study sought to examine, for South African adolescents: 1) the reliability of sub-scales of the Communities that Care Youth Survey (CTC Youth Survey) of risk and protective factors for drug use and anti-social behavior; and 2) the extent to which tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use can be predicted from community, family, school, and peer-individual factors based on sub-scales of the CTC Youth Survey. On two occasions, 92 male and 31 female, Grade 8 and 11 students completed measures concerning: 1) their past month tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use; and 2) various community, family, school, and peer-individual factors. Cronbach alpha coefficients of sub-scales of the questionnaire ranged between .60 and .94. Kappa values were at least moderate (above .40) on 19 sub-scales, and on the remaining sub-scales observed agreement levels ranged between .49 and .94. Each domain predicted tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that alcohol use was most strongly accounted for by the peer domain, tobacco use by the school domain, and marijuana use by the peer and community domains. The findings support use of the CTC Youth Survey, with slight revisions, among South African high school students.     

Life events and peer substance use and their relation to substance use problems in college students

Substance use disorders among college students are not well understood, and the present study examined the relationship of two environmental factors to alcohol and drug use problems in 616 (316 women) college students. Participants completed measures assessing substance use problems, life events, and substance use among peers. Alcohol use problems were significantly associated with higher drug use problems and regular use of illicit drugs among friends. Drug use problems were significantly associated with male gender, higher alcohol use problems, regular use of alcohol and drugs among friends, illicit drug use among romantic partners, and higher numbers of negative life events. Results extend previous research and suggest that college students who experience multiple negative life events and/or affiliate with substance using friends and romantic partners may be at risk for developing a substance use problem.     

Student perceptions of the danger of drug use: a factor analysis.

Australian secondary school students from three Year levels were asked to rate the danger involved in various uses of alcohol, tobacco, inhalants, marijuana and other illicit drugs. These ratings were then factor analyzed for each Year level. The results showed a more refined discrimination among the older students, with type of drug and frequency of use being important considerations. Familiarity was a major consideration for the younger students. The cognitive factors derived from the data are consistent with expectations based on the gateway theory of drug use.     

Substance Use Among Rural African American Adolescents: Identifying Risk and Protective Factors

Substance use continues to be a significant problem among youth in our society, particularly in rural communities. The purpose of the current study was to identify the possible risk and protective factors that may be affecting the rates of alcohol and illegal drug use among a population of African American adolescents living in a rural, southern community. The following were identified as possible risk factors: (1) Being an older adolescent (15 years of age or older); (2) Spending afternoons after school with friends; (3) Having friends or family members who use alcohol or illegal drugs; (4) Being raised by non-family members; and (5) Having plans to enter military after high school. The following characteristics were associated with less alcohol and illegal drug use, and were identified as possible protective factors: (1) Being raised by parent(s) or other family members; (2) Spending afternoons after school with parents; (3) Having parents who talk to youth about dangers of drug and alcohol use; (4) Having parents who disapprove of their child using drugs or alcohol; (5) Being involved in extra-curricular church-related activities; and (6) Having plans to work, or attend college or technical school after high school. Characteristics that have been associated with drug and alcohol in previous research that were not associated with use in the current study include: (1) Being male; (2) Peer pressure to use alcohol or illegal drugs; (3) Grades in school; and (4) Involvement in extra-curricular activities. Implications for developing effective community programs aimed at reducing substance use among our youth are discussed.     

Predicting continued use of marijuana among adolescents: the relative influence of drug-specific and social context factors.

Most research on the determinants of adolescent drug use has focused on predictors of either initiation or current use. Little attention has been given to the determinants of continued use of drugs after initiation, even though some researchers have found that the consequences of continued use are more serious than those associated with experimental or occasional use. In this study, a longitudinal sample of 456 secondary and high school students who had already tried marijuana was used to examine the determinants of continued use of marijuana. Nearly 38 percent of those who had tried marijuana continued using, according to the definition operationalized in this study. Potential predictor measures were grouped in a drug-specific domain and a social context domain, and their effects on continued use, controlling for background characteristics, were examined in logistic regression models. Results showed that only the drug-specific domain had a statistically significant effect on the likelihood of continued use. Students who felt that the adverse physical and psychological effects of marijuana were not very important reasons for discontinuing use and those who had gotten stoned during their experimental stage of use were the most likely to continue use after initiation. The results suggest that the perceived physical and psychological effects of the drug are more important determinants of continued use than are social factors or benefits related to use. Any relationships between social factors and continued use are mediated by the perceived effects and risks of the drug.     

College Student Behavior: A Ten-Year Look

Abstract

Lester and Perez¹ have suggested that student behavior can be usefully construed in terms of a traditional-hedonic, implicit value system. They demonstrated that drug use and sexual activity provide simple behavioral anchors for this dimension, and observed an increasingly hedonic orientation among students. Ten years after their initial study, the student population at the same institution was again sampled using an anonymous questionnaire. The 1980 sample included 208 subjects, and these were compared with 688 subjects who responded to the 1970 survey. This comparison was supplemented by an intensive week-long study of 53 students within one campus living unit.

Significant increases in pre-college sexual activity were noted for both men and women. Marijuana use in high school also increased for both men and women during this period, while alcohol use increased only among women. Previously observed differences between male and female pre-college sexual activity and marijuana use had largely disappeared by 1980. Significant increases in sexual activity while in college were found for women but not for men. For men, overall marijuana and alcohol use in college did not change during the study period, but there was an increase in the frequent use of these drugs. Increases in all categories of marijuana use were noted among women, along with overall increases in their alcohol use. The significant differences between male and female marijuana use noted in the 1970 study were absent in 1980. The intensive week-long study revealed that alcohol use was part of the daily lives of one-third to two-thirds of the students sampled, although they reported interpersonal conflicts, absences from class, accidents, and injuries among the consequences of their drinking. A significant inverse relationship between sleep and alcohol use was observed among women, but not among men.

These data suggest that student behavior has become increasingly hedonic during the past ten years, with women in particular closing the gap which previously differentiated their behavior from that of their male peers. Institutions of higher learning must take these changes into account in the planning of academic programs, residential life, and health services.     

Health Risk Behaviors among Adolescents in the Rural South: A Comparison of Race,Gender, and Age

Risky behaviors contribute to many of the physical and mental health problems of today's adolescents. The present study surveyed more than 2,500 high school and middle school students in a rural county in southwest Georgia in an attempt to identify differences in health risk behaviors, including tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use, violence and gang-related behaviors, and student assessment of high-risk behaviors, based on three demographic characteristics: race, gender, and age. Results show that Caucasian students are more likely to use tobacco and alcohol, whereas African-American students are more likely to engage in violent activities. In addition, older students (aged 15+ years) were more likely to use tobacco, alcohol, and drugs and to participate in violent behaviors, and male students are more likely to use tobacco and drugs and to participate in violent behaviors than female students.