Longitudinally Predicting Late Adolescent and Young Adult Drug Use: Childhood and Adolescent Precursors

Abstract

To examine the childhood and adolescent personality determinants of young adult drug use. Data were obtained on children when they were approximately 5.5 (time 1; T1), 14 (T2), 16 (T3), and 22 (T4) years of age. T2-T4 interviews of subjects and their mothers assessed child personality and behavior. At T1, 976 mothers were interviewed. The analysis was based on 734 subjects. Specific childhood and adolescent personality traits are related to stage of drug use in young adulthood. Regressions showed that (1) traits at T2 and T3 mediated the effect of traits at earlier ages on T4 drug use and (2) stage of drug use was stable from T3 to T4 despite controlling for personality. Significant interaction revealed two buffers weakening the effect of T3 drug use on T4 drug use. Many more T1-T3 personality traits, particularly low aggression, enhanced the effect of low T3 use on T4 use. Earlier findings that childhood personality is related to adolescent personality and then to drug use were extended to young adulthood. This mediational model indicates the stability of personality across development. Despite this stability, other results suggest ways to modify drug use.