Abstract
PurposeConduct problems and peer effects are among the strongest risk factors for adolescent substance use and problem use. However, it is unclear to what extent the effects of conduct problems and peer behavior interact, and whether adolescents' capacity to refuse the offer of substances may moderate such links. This study was conducted to examine relationships between conduct problems, close friends' substance use, and refusal assertiveness with adolescents' alcohol use problems, tobacco, and marijuana use.MethodsWe studied a population-based sample of 1,237 individuals from the Cardiff Study of All Wales and North West of England Twins aged 11–18 years. Adolescent and mother-reported information was obtained. Statistical analyses included cross-sectional and prospective logistic regression models and family-based permutations.ResultsConduct problems and close friends' substance use were associated with increased adolescents' substance use, whereas refusal assertiveness was associated with lower use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. Peer substance use moderated the relationship between conduct problems and alcohol use problems, such that conduct problems were only related to increased risk for alcohol use problems in the presence of substance-using friends. This effect was found in both cross-sectional and prospective analyses and confirmed using the permutation approach.ConclusionsReduced opportunities for interaction with alcohol-using peers may lower the risk of alcohol use problems in adolescents with conduct problems.
Highlights
: Purpose: Conduct problems and peer effects are among the strongest risk factors for adolescent substance use and problem use
The overall measures of substance use in our analyses showed that 13.8% of adolescents had smoked, on an average, between one and five cigarettes or more each day in the past month
Gender-specific sample characteristics are given in supplement Table S1
Summary
: Purpose: Conduct problems and peer effects are among the strongest risk factors for adolescent substance use and problem use. Peer substance use moderated the relationship between conduct problems and alcohol use problems, such that conduct problems were only related to increased risk for alcohol use problems in the presence of substance-using friends. This effect was found in both cross-sectional and prospective analyses and confirmed using the permutation approach. Two major theories have been posited to explain the relationship between adolescents’ own substance use and peer substance use: According to the peer cluster model [14], group affiliation is predictive of later adolescent substance use This places a strong emphasis on group norms and accentuates the active contribution of each peer to the group dynamic [14]. Both peer selection and peer socialization may occur such that adolescents select their friends according to their own views and behavior, but are susceptible to peer pressure to conform (bidirectional model) [19]
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