Longitudinal associations of emerging adults’ drinking trajectories with their behavior, health, education and work outcomes 1, 4, and 9 years later

Abstract

BackgroundTo characterize emerging adults’ drinking trajectories and their prospective association with later behavior, health, education, and work outcomes in later young adulthood. MethodsThis study used a selected cohort (N = 1622) from rounds 3–10 (aged 18–25), 11 (aged 26), 14 (aged 29), and 17 (aged 34) of the US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. Latent class growth modeling was used to identify trajectories of drinking (days ≥1 drink in the last 30 days) during emerging adulthood (aged 18–25) using data from rounds 3–10. Multinomial and linear regressions compared identified trajectory classes to outcomes measured 1, 4, and 9 years later. Covariates included sex, race, and urbanicity. ResultsSix drinking trajectories were identified: Abstainers (28.42%), Moderate Increasers (24.78%), Light Experimenters (11.96%), Heavy Experimenters (9.86%), Escalators (17.26%), and Heavy Users (7.71%). Compared to abstainers, emerging adults in other classes had significantly (p < .05 to.001) higher odds of binge drinking, smoking, and marijuana use at later rounds. Compared to abstainers, escalators had significantly higher education and income later. No significant difference in physical or mental health was found. ConclusionDrinking behaviors formed during emerging adulthood continue into later lifetime periods in adulthood. The experimenters shifted their drinking behaviors to greater smoking and marijuana use, while heavy users supplemented their drinking behavior. Interventions in emerging adulthood (particularly ages 19–21), the period when individuals are becoming more independent but malleable, may mitigate adverse effects of alcohol overuse and improve later life behaviors and career outcomes.