Predictors Of Drug Use Research Articles

Examining Anger as a Predictor of Drug Use Among Multiethnic Middle School Students

Anger, a component of negative affect, has previously been associated with increased drug use primarily among white high school-aged students. However, few studies have examined these associations over time, and fewer have examined them among younger adolescents and students of color. Affective factors may play a greater role in drug use for girls relative to boys; yet, little is known regarding differences in associations between affect and drug use by gender. The current study used data from the control condition (N = 2025) of a drug and violence preventive intervention trial to examine the association between self-reported anger levels among multiethnic urban adolescents in the sixth grade and their use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana use 1 year later. Potential gender differences were examined as well. Multivariate generalized estimating equations models found anger to be significantly associated with increases in smoking, drinking, and marijuana use. There were no significant gender differences found for any of the drug use outcomes. Results are consistent with studies conducted on primarily white high school youth, where anger had a small but significant effect on drug use over time. The findings also suggest that drug prevention programs should include emotion regulation skills, such as anger management, in addition to drug resistance skills.

Trajectories of Peer Social Influences as Long-term Predictors of Drug Use from Early Through Late Adolescence

The present study analyzed the long-term effects of perceived friend use and perceived peer use on adolescents' own cigarette, alcohol and marijuana use as a series of parallel growth curves that were estimated in two developmental pieces, representing middle and high school (N = 1,040). Data were drawn from a large drug abuse prevention trial, the Midwestern Prevention Project (MPP). Results showed that both perceived peer and friend cigarette use predicted own cigarette use within and across the adolescent years. For own alcohol and marijuana use, peer and friend influences were limited primarily to middle school. The findings suggest that strategies for counteracting peer and friend influences should receive early emphasis in prevention programs that are targeted to middle school. The findings also raise the question of whether cigarette use may represent a symbol of peer group identity that is unlike other drug use, and once formed, may have lasting adverse effects through the adolescent years.

Persistence in Turning to Faith as a Predictor of Drug Use and Criminality among Drug Court Clients

Faith-based beliefs are associated with and considered to be a vital component in enhancing the efficacy of substance abuse treatment and recovery. However, relatively little empirical information has been accumulated on the temporal stability of individuals' use of faith and its importance before and following initiation of the therapeutic process. The current study examined persistence in turning to faith across time as a predictor of substance use, criminal behavior, and perceived addiction severity in a sample of 500 Kentucky Drug Court participants. Results suggest that when modeling variance in faith, which persists across the two-year span of Drug Court involvement as a latent construct, greater persistence in one's faith predicts decreases in substance use frequency measured at the final 24-month interview. The latent faith construct was marginally related to differences in 24-month criminal behavior and was not associated with perceptions of addiction severity. Results are discussed for substance abuse treatment needs and recovery.

The role of the alliance and techniques in predicting outcome of supportive-expressive dynamic therapy for cocaine dependence.

We examine the complex relations among therapeutic alliance, adherence to Supportive-Expressive Therapy (SET), therapist competence, and their interactions in predicting change in drug use. Experts rated early therapy sessions of cocaine dependent patients (n 108) randomized to SET as part of the Collaborative Cocaine Treatment Study. Moderate adherence to SET and competent delivery of SET were separately associated with poorer outcome. Further, strong alliance combined with low levels of SET adherence was associated with a better outcome than moderate or high levels. Moreover, the usage of nonprescribed techniques (i.e., Individual Drug Counseling [IDC]) by SET therapists predicted better outcome in a subsample (n 36), and SET patients receiving high levels of IDC adherence had less predicted drug use compared with those with high levels of SET techniques. Overall results may suggest that decreasing cocaine use through straightforward drug counseling techniques instead of trying to help patients understand the reasons for their use is a better initial road to recovery.

Physical and relational aggression as predictors of drug use: Gender differences among high school students

The present study investigated the longitudinal relationships between physical and relational aggression and later drug use, as moderated by gender. Self-reported data were gathered from 2064 high school students at pretest and 1-year post-test to test the hypotheses that (1) males would engage in more physical aggression than females, whereas females would engage in more relational aggression than males; and (2) physical aggression would be a stronger drug use predictor for males and relational aggression a stronger predictor for females. Results indicated that males reported engaging in more physical aggression than females at baseline; however, females and males reported engaging in similar rates of relational aggression. After controlling for relational aggression, baseline drug use, and demographic variables, physical aggression at baseline was found to predict alcohol use 1-year later for males but not for females. After controlling for physical aggression, baseline drug use, and demographic variables, relational aggression was found to predict cigarette use and marijuana use for females but not for males. However, relational aggression was found to predict later alcohol and hard drug equally across gender. These findings suggest that both physical and relational aggression are predictive of subsequent drug use and have important implications for violence and drug use prevention intervention efforts.

Age at Drinking Onset, Alcohol Dependence, and Their Relation to Drug Use and Dependence, Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, and Motor-Vehicle Crash Involvement Because of Drugs

We explored among people who ever consumed alcohol whether early age at drinking onset and alcohol dependence predicted drug use and dependence. We also examined among drinkers who have used drugs whether they also predict driving under the influence of drugs and motor-vehicle crash involvement because of drugs. A U.S. national sample of 42,867 persons age 18 and older was surveyed in 1991-1992 (response rate = 90%). Logistic regression examined these potential associations among 27,616 respondents who ever drank alcohol, controlling for numerous demographic and personal characteristics. Among "ever" drinkers, 22% used drugs, 10% had driven under the influence of drugs, and nearly 1% was in a motor-vehicle crash because of drug use, the equivalent of 1 million people. The younger the age of respondents when they first began drinking and whether they ever experienced alcohol dependence were independently associated with greater odds of ever using drugs and experiencing drug dependence. Among persons who consumed alcohol and drugs, having ever experienced drug dependence was the strongest predictor of driving under the influence of drugs and motor-vehicle crash involvement because of drug use. After controlling for drug dependence and age at first drug use, having experienced alcohol dependence was also independently associated with both outcomes. Efforts to prevent drug-related crashes should include drug use prevention and treatment, as well as prevention of early alcohol use and treatment of alcohol dependence.

Patterns of Crime and Drug Use Trajectories in Relation to Treatment Initiation and 5-Year Outcomes: An Application of Growth Mixture Modeling Across Three Datasets.

Drug abusers vary considerably in their drug use and criminal behavior over time, and these trajectories are likely to influence drug treatment participation and treatment outcomes. Drawing on longitudinal natural history data from three samples of adult male drug users, we identify four groups with distinctive drug use and crime trajectories over the 5 years prior to their first treatment episode. The groups' characteristics of initial treatment are compared. The trajectory groups are then included in Poisson growth curve models to predict drug use, incarceration, and employment over the 5 years following first treatment. Findings indicate that posttreatment drug use decreased and posttreatment employment increased. There was little change in posttreatment incarceration. Posttreatment trajectories for drug use, incarceration, and employment were significantly different across the four trajectory groups.

Working memory capacity moderates the predictive effects of drug-related associations on substance use.

Some theories suggest that spontaneously activated, drug-related associations in memory may have a "freer reign" in predicting drug use among individuals with lower working memory capacity. This study evaluated this hypothesis among 145 at-risk youth attending continuation high schools (CHS). This is the 1st study to evaluate this type of dual-process interaction in the prediction of drug use among a sample of at-risk adolescents. The CHS students completed assessments of drug-related memory associations, working memory capacity, and drug use. Control variables included age, gender, ethnicity, and acculturation. Robust multiple regression using least trimmed squares estimation indicated that there was a significant linear by linear interaction between working memory capacity (assessed with the self-ordered pointing task) and drug-related associations (assessed with verb generation and cue-behavior association tasks) in the prediction of alcohol and cigarette use. Consistent with dual-process cognitive theories, drug-related associations in memory predicted drug use more strongly in students with lower levels of working memory capacity. These findings add to the literature implicating the influence of dual cognitive processes in adolescent risk behaviors.

Illegal drug use, smoking and alcohol consumption in a low-risk Irish primigravid population

To evaluate the prevalence of illegal drug use, smoking and alcohol consumption in Irish primigravidas, we interviewed 1011 women at their booking visit. A total of 23.5% (235) of women had used illegal drugs prior to their first pregnancy, 28.9% were ex-smokers and 27.9% were still smoking during pregnancy. A total of 53.9% admitted to drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Smokers are 2.8 times more likely to have used drugs in the past than non-smokers. Level of alcohol consumption appears to be a significant predictor of drug use.

Recreational nightlife: Risk and protective factors for drug misuse among young Europeans in recreational environments

Aim: To assess the predictive relevance of recreational nightlife-related variables for drug use in comparison with other intrapersonal and interpersonal risk and protective factors.Sample: A total of 1777 young people were interviewed in recreational nightlife environments in 10 European cities. The sample was balanced by drug use (users and non-users), gender and age.Measurements: Participants were interviewed on the basis of a structured questionnaire comprising several risk domain factors (sociodemographics, substance-use history, risk behaviours and related attitudes, motivations and perceptions relating to substance use, peer and family substance use and opinions, motivation and clubbing habits).Findings: A global multivariate logistic regression analysis correctly classified 92% of the individuals using drugs. Among the factors studied, the group of variables relating to the management of recreational activities (opinions, motivation and clubbing habits) were the best predictors of drug use. But traditional risk factors are also relevant in predicting drug use among recreational drug users.Conclusions: The results suggests the need to address the management of weekend recreational habits as an important objective in the prevention of drug use and misuse, including the implication and the meaning given to recreational nightlife.

High BAS, but not low BIS, predicts externalizing symptoms in adults

The current study examined the role of Behavioral Approach System (BAS) and Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) sensitivity in predicting symptoms along the externalizing dimension of psychopathology. A sample of 273 undergraduates completed measures of BAS, BIS, and externalizing disorder symptomatology. Regression analyses indicated that high BAS predicted drug abuse, alcohol abuse, primary and secondary psychopathy, and hyperactive–impulsive AD/HD symptoms. Whereas low BIS predicted drug use and hyperactive–impulsive symptoms only, high BIS predicted secondary psychopathy and inattentive AD/HD symptoms. These results replicate previous findings and suggest that high BAS is closely associated with the externalizing dimension. In contrast, the results from the current study call into question the role of low BIS in externalizing disorders and provide only limited support for the joint-subsystems hypothesis in this context.

Prospective associations of social self-control with drug use among youth from regular and alternative high schools

BackgroundThis study examined the one year prospective associations between adolescent social self-control and drug outcomes (cigarette use, alcohol use, marijuana use, hard drug use, and problem drug use) among adolescents from regular and continuation high schools. In our previous cross-sectional study, poor social self-control was found to be associated with higher drug use, controlling for 12 personality disorder categories. In this study, we attempted to find out (a) whether lack of social self-control predicted drug use one year later, and (b) whether drug use at baseline predicted social self-control one year later.MethodsWe surveyed 2081 older adolescents from 9 regular (N = 1529) and 9 continuation (alternative) (N = 552) high schools in the Los Angeles area. Data were collected at two time points in an interval of approximately 1 year.ResultsPast 30-day cigarette smoking, marijuana use, hard drug use, and problem drug use at baseline were found to predict lower social self-control at follow-up, controlling for baseline social self-control and demographic variables. The effect of problem drug use as a one-year predictor of social self-control was found to be moderated by school type (regular or continuation high school), such that the relationship was significant for continuation high school students only. Conversely, social self-control was found to predict past 30-day alcohol use, marijuana use, and problem drug use, controlling for baseline drug use and demographic variables. For alcohol use, marijuana use, and problem drug use outcomes, school type was not found to moderate the effects of social self-control, though an interaction effect was found regarding cigarette smoking. Social self-control was a significant predictor of cigarette use only at regular high school.ConclusionThe results indicate that social self-control and drug use share a reciprocal relationship. Lack of social self-control in adolescents seems to result in increased drug use, which in turn is likely to further decrease social self-control. Thus, it seems that social self-control is an alterable cognitive-behavioral attribute which can be improved through skill-based interventions in order to prevent drug use among adolescents. Policies aimed at preventing drug abuse among adolescents may benefit from institutionalizing social self-control skills training.

Social and Individual Predictors of Substance Use for Native American Youth

ABSTRACT Substance abuse is a primary concern for youth worldwide and increasingly so for Native American youth. Guided by theoretical models of the socialization of substance use in children and adolescents, we conducted a preliminary examination of socialization factors specific to Native American youth. Strong, pro-social bonds with three primary socialization sources (family, school, and peer networks) were hypothesized to facilitate child self-efficacy and refusal skills and predict drug use. Participants were 84 Native American children between the ages of 9 and 11, living on or near a northern reservation. Structural path analysis results indicated that self-efficacy was predicted from school bonding and peer social skills, while refusal skills were predicted from parent support/involvement and school bonding. Both self-efficacy and refusal skills predicted child drug use/experimentation. This preliminary study expands the limited research available for substance abuse prevention projects specific to rural, reservation-based Native American communities.

Vida recreativa nocturna de los jóvenes españoles como factor de riesgo frente a otros más tradicionales

To estimate the predictive relevance for drug use of recreational nightlife related variables in comparison with other intrapersonal and interpersonal risk / protective factors. 806 young people interviewed by Irefrea in recreational nightlife environments from 4 Spanish cities during year 2001. The sample was approximately balanced by drug use (users and non-users), gender and age group (adolescents and young adults). Participants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire comprising questions on demographics, drug use frequency and related attitudes, sensation seeking, risk and deviant behaviours, habits on recreational nightlife, peer and family characteristics and mediating variables. Multivariate predictors for drug use were several intrapersonal and interpersonal risk / protective factors: ever used tobacco and alcohol, lower religiosity and risk perception for drug use, involvement in risk behaviours and in problem behaviours, more favourable attitudes for drug use, peer drug use and bonding with drug-using peers. Drug users are also distinguished from non-users by their recreational habits (greater involvement, specific significance and cultural and physical context in recreational nightlife). A global multivariate logistic regression analysis correctly classified 92% individuals using legal and illegal drugs. Among the factors studied, recreational styles were between the best predictors of drug use. It suggests the need to make an in depth study of weekend recreational habits and add them to the objectives of the prevention of drug use and misuse.

Father's Absence and African American Adolescent Drug Use

This study assessed the effects of father's absence on drug use among 86 African American adolescents. No differences between father-present and father-absent girls' self-reported drug usage were found.The results did reveal, however, that father-absent boys were much more likely than father-present boys or either group of girls to use drugs. These findings persisted even when background factors such as SES, extent of neighborhood crime, parental monitoring, and degree of peer drug usage were controlled. Friends' drug use was the main predictor of drug use for girls, while father's absence was for boys. It was concluded that father-absent African American boys might be at risk for drug use problems relative to other African American adolescents. Implications for after-school programs were also discussed.

Where is the ‘Where?’ in Considerations of Treatment for Drug Abuse?

Substance abuse has been a major urban health problem, and in response, drug abuse treatment programs have been developed. Retention in programs is key to their effectiveness, yet attrition is a well recognized problem in this area. Most of the research on drug treatment programs attrition/retention rates examined individual level factors of the patients in treatment and less so provider level. Data on possible ecological or neighborhood factors relating to attrition/retention are sparse. However, such factors would seem promising to consider as neighborhood-level investigations have identified factors that influence illicit drug use. For example, a recent study reported that neighborhood disadvantage is an independent predictor of drug use, especially for individuals with lower incomes.1 In this issue of the Journal of Urban Health, Jacobson extends conceptual thinking about contextual factors that may influence drug treatment retention2 and undertakes the first quantitative exploration assessing “appropriateness” of treatment locations.3 In the study, Jacobson identifies neighborhood-level disadvantage, violence and victimization, and drug activity as elements with likely influence on treatment attrition. To do this, he compared measures of these factors for public treatment facility locales in the city of Los Angeles with those for the residential neighborhoods of the patients enrolled in treatment. Jacobson reported that up to 20% of patients are receiving drug treatment in an area that has a greater risk profile than the place in which they reside. Still, the question remains as to whether the patients that attend treatment in more disadvantaged locations than those in which they reside have worse treatment outcomes than those whose residential locations are equivalent to or worse than their treatment locations. Further research is clearly necessary in order to more fully understand the treatment location–treatment outcome dynamic. Nonetheless, Jacobson’s results can have important policy implications by renewing discussion and debate about appropriate placement for drug abuse treatment programs. On the one hand, locating drug treatment facilities in more advantaged neighborhoods has the potential for a positive impact on patient outcomes. First, fewer patients would be going to drug treatment in locations that have worse measures of neighborhood context than their current residences. Second, Jacobson finds that currently the average patient is 2.6 and 2.7 times more likely to both attend treatment in and live in a disadvantaged neighborhood than the average non-patient, respectively. Continuation of drug use is related to contextual cues; removing users from their environment would likely result in better outcomes. Yet, as people return to their communities of residence after treatment, whether treatment placement can have any impact remains an open question. On the other hand, placing treatment facilities in more advantaged neighborhoods may be problematic for several reasons. For instance, residents and businesses in those areas may resist the incorporation of the program because they believe that an increased flow of drug users to their neighborhood will also increase drug activity and availability or other socially undesirable activities in their neighborhood, even though the patients are seeking treatment (also known as the “not in my backyard” phenomenon). Also, studies have shown that travel distance can be a factor in treatment attrition;4 therefore, if patients are concentrated in disadvantaged areas that are isolated from more advantaged areas, placing facilities in these less disadvantaged areas may be more counterproductive in the long run. Planning committees would need to ascertain, assess, and alleviate transportation barriers for clients, but this may be cost prohibitive. Although this study was in one urban area only, and further research is warranted, the findings are provocative and merit policy discussion. Treatment programs represent an important strategy to deal with the problem of substance abuse, and the role of program placement in facilitating the goal of optimizing treatment is an important topic in this discussion.

Investigating the Effects of Family, Peer, and School Domains on Postdropout Drug Use

This study assesses the effects of three factors on dropping out of high school and later drug use: antecedents to dropout; predictors of drug use articulated by criminological theories (e.g., social bonds, peers, and strain); and postdropout factors associated with adult social bonds (e.g., marriage and employment). Two findings emerge from the analyses. First, an antecedent to dropout—disruptive school behavior—explains differences in drug use between high school dropouts and high school students. Second, when dropouts alone are considered, school problems, early drug use, and deviant peers intensify dropouts’ drug use, independent of marital status and job stability. Results suggest that factors exacerbating substance use among dropouts have a more persistent effect on their deviant behavior than do those inhibiting it.

The association between DSM-III-R alcohol dependence, psychological distress and drug use.

This paper examines the association between DSM-III-R alcohol dependence, psychological distress and the frequency of drug use in a sample of 219 men and 162 women consecutively admitted to nine alcohol treatment programs in a Northern California county. Results show that psychological distress is higher among men who are more severely dependent on alcohol and among those who have lower education; women who are less alcohol dependent and women who are younger have higher scores in psychological distress than other women. With regard to drug use, about 65% of the men and 64% of the women report using a drug other than alcohol at least once a week during the 12 months prior to admission into treatment. Among both men and women, the drugs most frequently used are crack/cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine. Among men, regression analysis shows that drug use is associated with being younger. Among women results show that the predictors of drug use are being younger, being unemployed, having a higher income, being a heavier drinker and having fewer symptoms of alcohol dependence. These results show a complex pattern of association across alcohol dependence, drug use and psychological distress. Knowledge of this pattern is necessary for tailoring effective clinical interventions to clients with different kinds of comorbidity.

Non Drug Use- and Drug Use-Specific Spirituality as One-Year Predictors of Drug Use Among High-Risk Youth

The present article explored two different dimensions of spirituality that might tap negative and positive relations with adolescent drug use over a 1-year period. Non-drug-use–specific spirituality measured how spiritual the person believes he or she is, participation in spiritual groups, and engagement in spiritual practices such as prayer, whereas drug-use–specific spirituality measured using drugs as a spiritual practice. Self-report questionnaire data were collected during 1997–1999 from a sample of 501 adolescents in 18 continuation high schools across southern California. Participants ranged in age from 14 to 19 and were 57% male, with an ethnic distribution of 34% White, 49% Latino, 5% African American, 7% Asian, and 5% other. A series of general linear model analyses were conducted to identify whether or not two different spirituality variables predict drug use (cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, hallucinogens, and stimulants) at 1-year follow-up. After controlling for baseline drug use, non-drug-use–specific spirituality was negatively predictive of alcohol, marijuana, and stimulant use, whereas drug-use–specific spirituality failed to be found predictive of these variables one year later. Conversely, drug-use–specific spirituality was positively predictive of cigarette smoking and hallucinogen use, whereas non-drug-use spirituality failed to be found predictive of these variables. Our results provide new evidence that suggests that spirituality may have an effect on drug use among adolescents. The drug-use-specific measure of spirituality showed “risk effects” on drug use, whereas the other measure resulted in “protective effects,” as found in previous research. Knowledge of the risk and protective patterns and mechanisms of spirituality may be translated into future drug use prevention intervention programs.

Predictors of drug use among South African adolescents

Purpose To determine the association of frequency of illegal drug use with five groups of factors: environmental stressors, parental drug use, parental child rearing, peer drug use, and adolescent personal attributes. Methods 1468 male (45%) and female (55%) adolescents, aged 12 to 17 years (mean 14.76, SD 1.51), were interviewed at home in Durban and Capetown, South Africa. Independent measures assessed environmental stressors, parental child rearing, parental drug use, peer drug use, and adolescent personal attributes. The dependent variable was the adolescents’ frequency of illegal drug use. Results Regression analyses showed that personal attributes and peer substance use explained the largest percentage of the variance in the adolescents’ frequency of illegal drug use. In addition, both of the parental factors and the environmental stressors contributed to the explained variance in adolescent drug use above and beyond the two more proximal domains at a statistically significant level. Conclusions Knowing the contribution of more proximal vs. more distal risk factors for illegal drug use is useful for prioritizing targets for interventions. Targeting changes in the more proximal predictors (e.g., adolescent personal attributes) may be more effective as well as more feasible than trying to produce changes in the more distal factors, such as environmental stressors.