Non-college Young Adults Research Articles

Civic engagement and well-being among noncollege young adults: Investigating a mediation model.

Young adults may benefit from civic engagement as a health promotion tool, as civic engagement is generally associated with positive well-being. However, more information is needed to examine civic engagement among lesser-educated young adults who are least likely to civically engage, and more likely to demonstrate mental health needs. We surveyed noncollege young adults (N = 621) to measure their civic engagement, meaning, civic efficacy, well-being, and sociodemographic factors. Using an a priori model, direct, indirect, and full effects path analyses were conducted across men and women, and then the entire sample. The full effects model best fit the data with mediation by civic efficacy and meaning (χ2 (2) = 0.59, p = 0.74; comparative fit index = 1.0; root mean square error of approximation = 0.00, 90% confidence interval [0.00-0.06]; R2 = 0.42). Types of engagement (civic, electoral, activism, and online) demonstrated differing relationships with well-being. Stakeholders should resource young adults with civic skills and coping strategies to address the many challenges that civic experiences often elicit.

Young adult birthday celebrations as windows of risk for alcohol and cannabis use: 21st birthdays compared to other young adult birthdays.

Alcohol use among college students during 21st birthday celebrations constitutes a well-known example of event-specific drinking when alcohol use is both pervasive and heavy. Less is known about how 21st birthday alcohol use compares to other birthday celebrations during young adulthood, whether similar increases occur for cannabis use on 21st birthdays, and whether the "21st birthday effect" is similar for noncollege young adults. Alcohol and cannabis use during 19th to 25th birthday celebrations were explored among college and noncollege students. Participants were 720 young adults of ages 18 to 23 (M = 21.1, SD = 1.7) at enrollment who completed 24 monthly surveys, and 204 reported on a 21st birthday. Participants resided in a state where cannabis was legal and were asked the month following their birthday whether they engaged in alcohol and cannabis use as part of their birthday celebration. Multilevel models found a 21st birthday effect for alcohol use as individuals consumed over twice as many drinks on their 21st birthday than would have been expected given age trends in birthday drinking, and this effect held for college and noncollege students. A 21st birthday effect for cannabis was not found. 21st birthday celebrations represent a high-risk drinking event for young adults in general, and the current findings suggest event-specific prevention programs targeting all young adults turning 21 are warranted. Unlike alcohol where turning 21 is associated with socially and culturally normative use, a similar 21st birthday effect was not found for cannabis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Differential pathways of risky drinking via coping motives in college and noncollege young adults

The current study tested a mediation model of psychological functioning (i.e., perceived stress, psychological distress, and self-regulation) and risky drinking through a drinking to cope pathway comparing college and noncollege young adults. Participants were 623 young adult drinkers (M age=21.46) who completed an online survey. Multigroup analyses examined the proposed mediation model for college students and nonstudents. For nonstudents, the indirect effects of psychological distress to alcohol use outcomes (i.e. alcohol quantity, binge drinking frequency, and alcohol-related problems) via coping motives were significant. Further, coping motives significantly mediated the positive effects of self-regulation on alcohol quantity, binge drinking frequency, and alcohol-related problems. For students, greater psychological distress was associated with greater coping motives, which in turn, related to greater alcohol-related problems. Coping motives significantly mediated the positive effect of self-regulation on binge drinking frequency. Findings highlight the different pathways that may result in risky drinking and alcohol problems based on young adult’s educational attainment. These results have important clinical implications, particularly for those who have not attended college.

Use of Tobacco for Weight Control across Products among Young Adults in the U.S. Military

Background: Approximately 17% of young adults currently use tobacco, most commonly cigarettes and/or electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), followed by other products (i.e., cigarillos, pipe/hookah, smokeless tobacco). Cigarettes have been historically used to control weight. Little is known about use of non-cigarette products for weight control, particularly among non-college young adults. Tobacco use in the military is higher than civilians, and personnel have increased motivation for weight control due to military fitness standards. This population might be vulnerable to use tobacco for this purpose. Purpose: Exploring prevalence, as well as demographic and behavioral correlates, of using tobacco products for weight control, among a large, diverse sample of military young adults. Methods: U.S. Air Force recruits (N = 24,543) completed a questionnaire about tobacco use. Among users of tobacco products, recruits reported if they had ever used that product to maintain their weight. Results: Smokeless tobacco was most commonly used for weight control (12.2%), followed by cigarettes (7.3%), e-cigarettes (5.5%), cigarillos (3.3%), and hookah/pipe (3.2%). Using tobacco for weight control was associated with fewer harm beliefs and more regular use of that product. Among e-cigarette users, having a higher BMI and a lower educational background was associated with ever using this product for weight control. Conclusions: The belief that a tobacco product helps control one’s weight might increase the prevalence, and frequency of use, of that product among military young adults. Tobacco cessation programs should assess for this motivation of use and provide education about tobacco harm and alternative strategies for weight maintenance.

Tobacco and Marijuana Use Among US College and Noncollege Young Adults, 2002–2016

To assess trends and behavioral patterns of marijuana and cigarette and/or cigar (ie, smoked tobacco) use among 18- to 22-year-old US young adults who were in or not in college. Data were from the 2002-2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Past-30-day and past-12-month use of marijuana and smoked tobacco were assessed by college enrollment status. χ2 tests were used to examine within- and between-group differences. Trends were assessed by using logistic regression and relative percentage change (RPC). Among both college and noncollege individuals during 2002 to 2016, exclusive marijuana use increased (faster increase among college students; RPC = 166.6 vs 133.7), whereas exclusive smoked tobacco use decreased (faster decrease among college students; RPC = -47.4 vs -43.2). In 2016, 51.6% of noncollege and 46.8% of college individuals reported past-12-month usage of marijuana and/or smoked tobacco products (P < .05). Exclusive marijuana use was higher among college than noncollege individuals, both for past-30-day (11.5% vs 8.6%) and past-12-month use (14.6% vs 10.8%). Exclusive smoked tobacco use was higher among noncollege than college individuals, both for past-30-day (17.7% vs 10.4%) and past-12-month (17.4% vs 12.2%) use (P < .05). Exclusive marijuana use is increasing among young adults overall, whereas exclusive smoked tobacco use is decreasing: faster rates are seen among college students. Exclusive marijuana use is higher among college students, whereas exclusive smoked tobacco use is higher among noncollege individuals. Surveillance of tobacco and marijuana use among young people is important as the policy landscape for these products evolves.

The Intersection of Tobacco and Marijuana Use in Adolescents and Young Adults.

* Abbreviation: e-cigarette — : electronic cigarette In “Tobacco and Marijuana Use Among US College and Noncollege Young Adults, 2002–2016”, Odani et al1 describe trends from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health on tobacco and marijuana use among respondents 18 to 22 years of age. They conclude that exclusive smoked tobacco use has decreased, whereas exclusive marijuana use has increased over the study period.1 This decline in smoked tobacco is encouraging because one of the greatest public health successes in the United States is the decrease in combusted tobacco use, specifically cigarettes, as seen in this 15-year study. When considering the intersection of adolescent and young adult use of tobacco products and marijuana, another factor that should be considered is the dramatic rise in the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). E-cigarettes, also known as vape devices or by brand name products such as Juul, are the most common tobacco product used among youth.2 Historically, these products have almost always … Address correspondence to Susan C. Walley, MD, CTTS, FAAP, Children’s of Alabama, 1600 7th Ave S, McWane Suite 108, Birmingham, AL 35233. E-mail: swalley{at}peds.uab.edu

DSM-5 substance use disorders among college-age young adults in the United States: Prevalence, remission and treatment

Objective: To determine the prevalence, remission, and treatment associated with DSM-5 substance use disorders (SUDs) among young adults based on college attendance. Participants: The population-based sample included 2,057 young adults aged 19–23 in college/school and 1,213 not currently attending college/school who participated from April 2012 through June 2013. Methods: Face-to-face interviews were conducted as part of a cross-sectional national survey. Results: The prevalence of any past-year DSM-5 SUD was 39.6% among young adults in college and 44.5% among those not attending college. Past-year tobacco use disorder and multiple DSM-5 SUDs were more prevalent among those not attending college. Among those with prior-to-past-year SUDs, abstinent remission was low among college (1.0%) and noncollege (1.9%) young adults. Conclusions: Approximately two in five U.S. college students had at least one past-year DSM-5 SUD. Sustained abstinent remission from SUDs is extremely rare (1–2%) and the majority of those with SUDs do not receive treatment.

Comparing American college and noncollege young adults on e-cigarette use patterns including polysubstance use and reasons for using e-cigarettes

Objective: Existing literature on young adults’ e-cigarette and polysubstance use focused on college students. This study examined the differences between college and noncollege groups on prevalence and patterns of e-cigarette and other substance use using data from a national survey. Participants: Adults aged 18–24 from the 2013–2014 Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study (n = 6,608). Methods: Independent sample t-tests and Chi-square tests were conducted to examine group differences. Results: Noncollege young adults had higher prevalence of cigarette, e-cigarette, and marijuana use; college students had higher prevalence of alcohol use. Among current e-cigarette users, college students had higher prevalence of polysubstance use of alcohol and marijuana. College students used e-cigarettes for socializing purposes more. Conclusions: Differences in prevalence and patterns of e-cigarette and other substance use between college and noncollege groups exist. Future interventions should target the social context of college life and reach out to noncollege young adults in workplaces.

NIDA: Daily marijuana use at 13% in noncollege young adults

The latest Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey results on teens transitioning to adulthood show that more than 13% who are not in college are using marijuana on a daily basis. Conducted for the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), MTF is a national survey released in December every year, with a specialized focus on 19‐ to 22‐year‐olds released in the following September. This fall, the focus compared full‐time college students to their noncollege peers.

NIDA: Daily marijuana use at 13% in noncollege young adults

The latest Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey results on teens transitioning to adulthood shows that more than 13 percent who are not in college are using marijuana on a daily basis. Conducted for the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), MTF is a national survey released in December every year, with a specialized focus on 19‐ to 22‐year‐olds released in the following September.

Waterpipe tobacco use in college and non-college young adults in the USA.

Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS or 'hookah') is common among adolescents and college students in the USA. However, there has not yet been a large-scale, nationally representative study independently examining WTS among young adults who are not in college. This study sought to examine associations between attitudes, normative beliefs, certain socio-demographic factors and current WTS among young adults not in college and compare them to young adults in college. A total of 3131 US adults ages 18-30 completed an online survey about WTS behaviour, attitudes, normative beliefs and relevant socio-demographic factors. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine independent associations between these variables and current WTS stratified by student status. Ever WTS was reported by 29% of young adults not in college and by 35% of those in college, and current use rates were 3 and 7%, respectively. Multivariable models demonstrated that positive attitudes and perceived peer acceptability of WTS were significantly associated with increased current WTS for both young adults not in college [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.72; 95% CI: 2.00-3.71 and AOR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.50-2.71, respectively] and young adults in college (AOR = 3.37; 95% CI: 2.48-4.58 and AOR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.49-2.83, respectively). The magnitude of these associations was not significantly different when comparing individuals in college and not in college. Among young adults, WTS is common in non-college-based populations as well as in college-based populations. Therefore, prevention programming should extend to all young adults, not only to those in college.

Drinking To Cope With Depressed Mood In College And Non-College Young Adults

Drinking To Cope With Depressed Mood In College And Non-College Young Adults

Drinking to cope mediates the relationship between depression and alcohol risk: Different pathways for college and non-college young adults

BackgroundIt is well-established that drinking to cope with negative affective states mediates the relationship between depressed mood and alcohol risk outcomes among college students. Whether non-college emerging adults exhibit a similar pathway remains unknown. In the current study, we compared the mediating role of coping motives in the relationship between depressive symptoms and drinking risk outcomes (heavy episodic drinking and alcohol problems) in college and non-college emerging adult subgroups. MethodsParticipants were three hundred forty-one community-recruited 18–25year olds reporting past month alcohol use. We used a structural equation modeling (SEM) for our primary mediation analysis and bias-corrected bootstrap resampling for testing the statistical significance of mediation. ResultsParticipants averaged 20.8 (±1.97) years of age, 49% were female, 67.7% were White, 34.6% were college students, and 65.4% were non-college emerging adults. College and non-college emerging adults reported similar levels of drinking, alcohol problems, and drinking to cope with negative affect, and drinking to cope was associated with alcohol-related problems in both samples. However, while drinking to cope mediated the relationship between depressed mood and alcohol problems among students, it did not mediate the pathway among non-college emerging adults. ConclusionsThese findings caution against extending college-based findings to non-college populations and underscore the need to better understand the role of coping motives and other intervening factors in pathways linking depressed mood and alcohol-related risk in non-college emerging adults.

Stage-based healthy lifestyles program for non-college young adults

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to test the feasibility of implementing a healthy lifestyles intervention to maintain or achieve healthy weight for low-income young adults in vocational education.Design/methodology/approachNon-randomized, quasi-experimental feasibility test of a ten-week intervention with follow-up assessment designed using PRECEDE-PROCEED. A convenience sample included low-income young adults (n=165), 18-24 years recruited from two vocational training facilities. The intervention had weekly: online educational modules, targeting the non-dieting approach through healthful eating, and physical activity; and messages to promote fruit and vegetable intake, increased physical activity and stress management. Anthropometrics were measured, and an online survey on physical activity and eating behavior (e.g. self-regulation, self-instruction, emotional eating) was administered at baseline, post-, and follow-up.FindingsAt baseline, males were overweight and females were obese based on average BMI; no significant change in BMI, food intake, physical activity, or stress management were noted following the intervention. Eating behavior changed in treatment vs control group; food self-regulation was higher (p=0.025) for high use treatment group compared to the control group.Practical implicationsLifestyle interventions are critical for low-income young adults who are overweight or obese by 18-24 years of age. Young adults who engage in such interventions can make food behavior changes that can have a mediating effect on healthy weight management. Models like PRECEDE-PROCEED are vital to success when working toward sustainable programs within communities.Originality/valueFew healthy lifestyle programs have been reported for low-income, non-college young adults, specifically with a largely male population, and none with PRECEDE-PROCEED.

Understanding Tobacco-Related Attitudes Among College and Noncollege Young Adult Hookah and Cigarette Users

Objective: To examine differences in tobacco-related attitudes and hookah and cigarette use among college and noncollege young adults. Participants: Time-location samples of young adult bar patrons in San Diego, California (N = 2,243), Tulsa (N = 2,095) and Oklahoma City (N = 2,200), Oklahoma, Albuquerque (N = 1,044) and Las Cruces (N = 894), New Mexico, between September 2009 and July 2011. Methods: Multinomial logistic regression examined associations between hookah and cigarette use and tobacco-related attitudes. Results: Current college students and graduates are less likely to smoke cigarettes, but more likely to use hookah. Among current hookah users, 22.6% were hookah-only users and 77.4% were dual users (cigarettes and hookah). College status is associated with different hookah use patterns, and those with anti-tobacco industry attitudes were more likely to smoke hookah. Conclusions: Novel interventions are needed for college students using hookah. Existing strategies targeting smokers with anti-tobacco industry messages may be irrelevant to hookah users.

Comparisons of Gambling and Alcohol Use Among College Students and Noncollege Young People in the United States

Objective: Gambling and alcohol use were compared for college and noncollege young adults in the US population. Participants: Participants were 1,000 respondents aged 18 to 21. Methods: Data were analyzed from a representative household sample of US young people aged 14 to 21 years old. Telephone interviews were conducted between August 2005 and January 2007. Results: After taking into account gender, age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, college student status did not predict gambling, frequent gambling, or problem gambling. In contrast, being a college student was associated with higher levels of alcohol use and problem drinking. Being male was the strongest predictor of both problem gambling and problem drinking. Blacks were less likely than whites to drink heavily; yet they were more likely than whites to gamble heavily. Conclusion: Young males should be targeted for prevention and intervention efforts for both problem gambling and problem drinking regardless of college student status.

Sexual Coercion and Well-Being in Young Adulthood

This study examined the associations between sexual coercion and well-being (anger, coping, depressed mood, self-esteem, social anxiety, and social isolation) based on gender and college enrollment. Participants were 872 women and 527 men, ages 19 through 22 years. Women were more likely than men to report having experienced sexual coercion. In addition, noncollege women were more likely than college women to report having experienced rape and sexual abuse. Participants who reported experiencing sexual coercion had poorer social and psychological adjustment. The effect of coercion on well-being did not differ for college and noncollege young adults. Type of sexual coercion (no coercion, pressure, and violent coercion) related to adjustment differentially for women and men. Pressured women had lower well-being scores than either women who were not coerced or violently coerced. In contrast, violently coerced men had lower scores for well-being than either pressured men or men who were not coerced.

Age as a moderator of the relation between three dimensions of satisfaction and sex role

We examined the moderating effect of age on the relation between sex role orientation and relationship and job satisfaction as well as life satisfaction. Two hundred and thirty-two noncollege married, employed, young, middle, and older adults were administered the Bem Sex Role Inventory, the General Positive Affect Scale, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Age significantly moderated the relation between each type of sex role and life satisfaction. As age increased, the strength of the relation between sex role and life satisfaction increased. Age also moderated the relation between masculinity and androgyny and job satisfaction, whereas femininity was not significant in predicting job satisfaction. There were no significant predictors of relationship satisfaction.

EFFECTS OF TRAINING ON DIMENSIONAL CLASSIFICATION ABILITIES: ADULT AGE COMPARISONS

Ninety‐six men and women from three groups (college young adults, noncollege young adults, and elderly) were assigned to cells of a 2 (strategy training) by 2 (noncontingent social praise) design. Following training, elderly (mean age = 71.0) were compared with each of the two young adult groups on two multidimensional classification measures, Raven's and matrix production. Significant main effects of age favoring young adults were found on both matrix tasks. Relationships between training and performance differed for the “production” and solution tasks. Strategy training was effective in improving the elderly's scores on the production task but not on the Raven's. Noncontingent social praise had no effect on dimensional classification at either age level.