Does Substance Use Exacerbate Escalation along Developmental Pathways of Covert and Overt Externalizing Behaviors among Young Men?

Abstract

The delinquency Pathways Model proposes that the majority of those who engage in serious delinquent acts have gone through a sequence of externalizing behaviors from less to more serious delinquent behaviors. This study examined whether frequency of alcohol, marijuana, and hard drugs exacerbated escalation through the covert and overt pathways. Data came from the youngest cohort of the Pittsburgh Youth Study (N = 503). The young men were followed from mean age 7 through mean age 20. Sequences of offending were based on ages of onset of covert and overt delinquent behaviors. Survival analyses were conducted to examine the associations of frequency of use with risk for and timing of movement from the lowest to highest level in each pathway. Frequency of alcohol and marijuana use was related to greater risk of moving from the lowest to highest level in both pathways and hard drug use vs. nonuse was associated with moving from minor aggression to violence. Reducing frequency of substance use may interrupt escalation through the covert and overt pathways for young men once they enter the first level.