Self-Reported Use of Alcohol,Marijuana, and Hard Drugs and Aggression: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis of an Internet Survey of Long-Term Marijuana Users

In the largest study to date investigating aggressive behavior among long-time adult concomitant marijuana and alcohol users, respondents completed an Internet survey on substance use and aggressive behavior. Aggressive acts following alcohol consumption were more frequent than aggressive acts following marijuana consumption. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that there was no relationship between marijuana and aggression once recent alcohol use, hard drug history, gender, and age were taken into account. Alcohol use and history of hard drug use were associated with increased aggression. It also appears that increased aggression among males is partially mediated by alcohol use. This model fit the data better than plausible alternative models. Although the sample characteristics limit the generalizability of these findings, our data suggest that marijuana use does not lead to aggressive behavior in adults, even among frequent, long-time users.     

A Review of “Play Therapy with Children in Crisis: Individual,Group and Family Treatment, 3rd Edition”

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) emerging adults face additional stressors due to discrimination. Emerging adults (n?=?667) drawn from Waves I and III of The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) were used to assess how parent-child relationships moderated marijuana and illicit drug use. Sexual minorities with strong relationships with mothers had significantly lower odds of using marijuana, but significantly higher odds of using marijuana (but lower odds of using illicit drugs) when they had a stronger relationship with their father. Implications include improving parent-child relationships and identifying additional coping methods for LGB youth.     

Still Dazed and Confused: Midlife Marijuana Use by the Baby Boom Generation

National drug use surveys show the baby boom generation using marijuana in record numbers. We test hypotheses based on social learning, rational choice, and strain theories to explain marijuana use among adults aged 50–64 with an intersectional lens to consider racial and gender group differences. Social learning perspectives, pointing to pro-marijuana attitudes and norms acquired through culture, and rational choice approaches, in which marijuana use is perceived as a low-risk activity, are both strongly supported. Strain generated by mental and physical health problems emerges as a relevant factor for marijuana use among specific racial and gender minority groups of older adults.     

The Drugs May Be Synthetic but the Consequences are not:Analysis of Synthetic Cannabinoid User Accounts

ABSTRACT

Synthetic cannabinoids are the second most used illicit substance among U.S. adolescents. Despite their prevalence and dangers, we know little about the characteristics associated with use. While clinical samples have shed some light on how synthetic cannabinoids differ from marijuana, they have not explored career trajectories of synthetic cannabinoid users. We analyze online forum posts about people’s synthetic cannabinoid use to understand more about these novel psychoactive drugs and the drug careers of those who use.     

Adolescent precursors of intensity of marijuana and other illicit drug use among adult initiators

This study examined (a) adolescent psychosocial risk factors for frequency (intensity) of marijuana use and for other illicit drug use among those who started using these drugs in early adulthood (adult initiators) and (b) the protective role of parent-adolescent relations in reducing or preventing drug use when adolescents enter early adulthood. The study's participants were male and female youth from a longitudinal prospective study. The participants' mean ages were 17 and 22 years at late adolescence and early adulthood, respectively. Independent measures assessed personality, parental, peer, and self-drug-use factors during late adolescence; dependent measures assessed frequency of marijuana use and other illicit drug use during early adulthood for initiators of the respective drug categories. The authors found that intensity of marijuana use was directly associated with the personality, parental, and self-drug-use domains and indirectly associated with the peer domain. Intensity of other illicit drug use was directly associated with personality and self-drug use. Analyses also revealed that some parent-adolescent relations factors buffered the effects of risk factors for both marijuana and other illicit drug-use intensity, whereas others enhanced the effects of protective factors against other illicit drug-use intensity. The results indicate that there are both commonalities and differences in precursors of marijuana and other illicit drug-use intensity among initiators of these drugs during early adulthood.     

Adolescent Precursors of Intensity of Marijuana and Other Illicit Drug Use Among Adult Initiators

This study examined (a) adolescent psychosocial risk factors for frequency (intensity) of marijuana use and for other illicit drug use among those who started using these drugs in early adulthood (adult initiators) and (b) the protective role of parent-adolescent relations in reducing or preventing drug use when adolescents enter early adulthood. The study's participants were male and female youth from a longitudinal prospective study. The participants' mean ages were 17 and 22 years at late adolescence and early adulthood, respectively. Independent measures assessed personality, parental, peer, and self-drug-use factors during late adolescence; dependent measures assessed frequency of marijuana use and other illicit drug use during early adulthood for initiators of the respective drug categories. The authors found that intensity of marijuana use was directly associated with the personality, parental, and self-drug-use domains and indirectly associated with the peer domain. Intensity of other illicit drug use was directly associated with personality and self-drug use. Analyses also revealed that some parent-adolescent relations factors buffered the effects of risk factors for both marijuana and other illicit drug-use intensity, whereas others enhanced the effects of protective factors against other illicit drug-use intensity. The results indicate that there are both commonalities and differences in precursors of marijuana and other illicit drug-use intensity among initiators of these drugs during early adulthood.     

High school polydrug users and abusers

Among 433 high school seniors, 12% were determined to be either polydrug users or abusers. In comparison to the non-polydrug users, polydrug users and abusers were significantly more likely to indicate: (1) physical abuse by and many conflicts with parents; (2) self-ratings of lazy, bored, rejected, and unhealthy, (3) serious suicidal thoughts, delinquent behavior, early use of marijuana and alcohol, and the tendency to drink more than six alcoholic drinks at a sitting; and (4) agreement with the following statements: "If something feels good, I usually do it and don't worry about the consequences" and "I try to play as much as possible and work as little as possible." These findings suggest that many polydrug users and abusers are either seeking pleasure or trying to escape pain. Because of the different reasons behind polydrug use, a variety of treatment and prevention strategies will be necessary to curb the polydrug problem among adolescents.     

Pro-drug-use myths and competing constructs in the prediction of substance use among youth at continuation high schools: a one-year prospective study

Experimentation with drugs among adolescents often is preceded by faulty beliefs (myths) regarding drug effects. The present study provides empirical demonstration of the utility of a drug use myths index in the prediction of subsequent drug use in a prospective study of substance use among high-risk adolescents. Drug use was measured as an index of recent cigarette, alcohol and marijuana use. A belief-type drug use myths index was compared as a predictor of drug use with four other frequently researched correlates of drug use. The other measures were of social influence, outcome expectancies, attitudes toward wrongness of drug use and sensation seeking. The belief-type drug use myths, attitudes toward wrongness and sensation seeking indices were found to be significant predictors of drug use among our sample of 1074 youth when controlling for gender, ethnicity and prior drug use. These findings have implications for understanding factors contributing to individual differences in drug use behaviors and could benefit the development of drug education programs for high-risk individuals.     

Relationships Between Future Orientation, Impulsive Sensation Seeking, and Risk Behavior Among Adjudicated Adolescents

Because of high levels of risk behavior, adjudicated adolescents are at high risk for negative health outcomes such as nicotine and drug addiction and sexually transmitted diseases. The goal of this article is to examine relationships between future orientation and impulsive-sensation-seeking personality constructs to risk behaviors among 300 adjudicated adolescents. Significant relationships between impulsive sensation seeking and future orientation were found for several risk behaviors. Individuals with more positive future orientation were less likely to use marijuana, hard drugs, alcohol during sex, had fewer alcohol problems, had lower levels of alcohol frequency and quantity of use, and perceived greater risks associated with such behaviors. Higher impulsivity reliably predicted alcohol problems, alcohol use, condom use, and cigarette smoking.     

Youth Self-Views,Coping with Stress,and Behavioral/Emotional Problems: The Role of Incremental Self-Theory

Previous research has established associations between stress and coping processes and internalizing and externalizing problems among adolescents and emerging adults. The purpose of the present study was to integrate this literature with research demonstrating the importance of self-theory—views that individuals hold about themselves and their abilities. We examined the extent to which self-theory may influence both coping processes and internalizing and externalizing problems among adolescents and emerging adults. Using moderated mediation, we tested whether coping serves as a mechanism through which self-theory of both intelligence and personality influences internalizing and externalizing problems among adolescents and emerging adults. One hundred and forty participants (adolescents aged 14–17; emerging adults aged 18–30; 60 % female; 8.5 % ethnic minority) completed questionnaires on self-theory, coping responses, and behavioral/emotional problems. Results of moderated mediation analyses were consistent with coping as a mechanism through which self-theory influences psychopathology symptoms such that more malleable beliefs are associated with increased productive coping strategies and lower levels of internalizing and externalizing problems. The current findings also indicate that these associations were significant for adolescents but not for emerging adults. Although cross-sectional, findings suggest that fostering malleable beliefs among adolescents may increase the use of productive coping strategies and positively influence adjustment.     

Religiosity and Exposure to Users in Explaining Illicit Drug Use among Emerging Adults

Religiosity is a protective factor against illicit drug use, but further investigation is needed to delineate which components of religiosity are protective against use. A racially diverse sample (N = 962) was surveyed about religiosity, exposure to users, and recent use of marijuana, powder cocaine, ecstasy, and nonmedical use of opioids and amphetamine. Results suggest that identifying as Agnostic increased odds of use for each of the five drugs; however, this effect disappeared when controlling for religious importance and attendance. High levels of religious attendance were protective against recent use of marijuana and cocaine, but protective effects diminished when controlling for exposure to users, which was a robust predictor of use of every drug. Religion is a protective mechanism against drug use, but this effect may diminish in light of exposure to users. Alternative preventative methods need to be directed toward individuals who are not religious or are highly exposed to users.     

Religiosity and adolescent marijuana use

Among adolescents, religiosity has been associated with lower rates of marijuana use, though few studies have examined its impact on the perceived risk of use. There is strong support that perceived risk of using marijuana is negatively correlated with the frequency of use. We examined the relationship among religiosity, perceived risk, and marijuana use from a national survey of adolescents that contained questions about lifetime, weekly, and past month substance use, social support, religious involvement and attitudes, and perceived riskiness of use. We tested a structural equation model of relationships among latent variables of religiosity and perceived risk, and an observed variable of total days of marijuana use in the past 12 months. Results indicated the model was a good fit to the data and described a mediating relationship of perceived risk of use between religiosity and marijuana use. Implications for leveraging religiosity in prevention of substance use are discussed.     

Exploring the Relationship Between Religious Coping and Spirituality Among Three Types of Collegiate Substance Abuse

Religion and spirituality are protective factors against collegiate substance abuse; however, considering the variance among different types of drug abuse is important. We investigated religious coping and spirituality in relation to hazardous drinking, marijuana use, and psychostimulant use. Results indicated that positive religious coping and several dimensions of spirituality protect against hazardous drinking and marijuana use. Furthermore, differences in religious coping and spirituality may not exist between groups of psychostimulant users.     

The Relationship of MMPI and Sensation Seeking Scales to Adolescent Drug Use

This study examined the relationship of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) measure, including the MacAndrew alcoholism (MAC) scale, and the Sensation Seeking Scales (SSS) to adolescents drug use across nine drug categories. Subjects were 51 male and 72 female high school students between the ages of 14 and 18 (mean age = 16 years, 5 months). The drug use/abuse measure consisted of adolescents' self-reports on the Segal (1973) Alcohol-Drug Use Research Survey. Drug categories included for investigation were alcohol amphetamines, barbiturates, caffeine, cocaine, hallucinogens, marijuana, narcotics, and tobacco. Scores from standard MMPI scales, the MAC scale, and the SSS were examined in relation to individual drug use outcomes, and multivariate procedures were used to predict polydrug versus single drug use patterns. Results demonstrated significant and meaningful relationships between personality measures and drug use among adolescents, with consistently strong findings for the SSS.     

Parentification and its impact on adolescent children of parents with AIDS.

Parentification refers to children or adolescents assuming adult roles before they are emotionally or developmentally ready to manage those roles successfully. We assess predictors and outcomes of parentification among adolescent children of Parents with AIDS (PWAs) in two phases. In Phase 1, relationships among parental AIDS-related illness, parent drug use, parent and adolescent demographics, and parentification indicators (parental, spousal, or adult role-taking) were assessed among 183 adolescent-parent pairs (adolescents: 11 to 18 years, M = 14.8 years, 54% female; parents: 80% female). Adult role-taking was associated with maternal PWAs, female adolescents, and greater parent drug use. Greater parental AIDS-related illness predicted more spousal and parental role-taking. Parent drug use predicted more parental role-taking. In Phase 2, we examined the impact of parentification on later adolescent psychological adjustment (N = 152 adolescents). Adult role-taking predicted more internalized emotional distress; parental role-taking predicted externalized problem behaviors: sexual behavior, alcohol and marijuana use, and conduct problems. Given these dysfunctional outcomes, we discuss interventions to mitigate parentification among children of PWAs.     

Pain-related anxiety and marijuana use motives: a pilot test among active marijuana-using young adults

The present investigation examined pain-related anxiety in regard to marijuana use motives among a sample of young adult marijuana users (N = 180; 45% women; M(age) = 21.11 years, SD = 6.41). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to determine the relations between pain-related anxiety and marijuana use motives. After controlling for current marijuana use frequency (past 30 days), daily cigarette smoking rate, current rate of alcohol consumption, level of bodily pain (current), and other marijuana use motives, pain-related anxiety was significantly and uniquely associated with coping and conformity motives for marijuana use. Pain-related anxiety was not significantly related to other marijuana use motives. These results offer novel empirical insight pertaining to a relation between pain-related anxiety and coping as well as conformity motives for marijuana use among active users.     

Sequences of drug involvement in African-American and Puerto Rican adolescents.

This study examined stages in drug involvement of 695 African-American and 637 Puerto Rican adolescents. Analysis indicated that adolescents progress through several stages of drug involvement: beer/wine, cigarettes or hard liquor, then marijuana, and, finally, illicit drugs other than marijuana. The sequence of drug involvement for both ethnic groups appears to be both unidimensional and cumulative.     

Is it Too Soon to Meet? Examining Differences in Geosocial Networking App Use and Sexual Risk Behavior of Emerging Adults

Location-based geosocial networking smartphone applications (GSN apps) have become a popular way to meet romantic and casual sex partners. Although first used primarily by men who have sex with men (MSM), GSN apps are now commonly used in the population at large, particularly among emerging adults. Although, these apps may potentially contribute to increases in STI/HIV incidence, previous research linking GSN app use to sexual risk behavior has been mixed, with some suggesting app users report greater sexual risk behavior and others suggesting less. The present paper details findings of two studies with independent samples of emerging adults. The first, a pilot study, examined GSN app use among young MSM (n = 64) to identify possible within-group factors relating dating app use to sexual risk behavior. Results indicated that the time app users spent talking to each other through the app before meeting in person (time before meeting) was related to engagement in sexual risk behavior. Those who talked less before meeting in person engaged in more sexual risk behaviors than those who spent more time talking before meeting in person. The second study sought to expand upon this finding in a more representative sample of GSN app users (n = 129) and compared sexual risk behavior and impulsivity to non-users (n = 88). There were no differences in sexual risk behavior between GSN app users and non-users. However, when examining app users by time before meeting, those with a shorter time before meeting were more impulsive and more likely to report sexual risk behavior. These findings highlight the importance of understanding GSN app use in the spread of STIs/HIV among emerging adults.     

The Relation Between Norm Accessibility,Pornography Use,and Parental Mediation Among Emerging Adults

Widespread access to and use of pornography has led to concern about the potentially negative effects of exposure to pornography on emerging adults—its largest user group. Past research shows that salient social norms can influence subsequent behavior. This study, therefore, explored the relationship between salient pornography-related norms and pornography use among emerging adults, as well as the relationship between parental mediation of pornography during adolescence and emerging adults’ salient pornography-related norms. Results revealed that emerging adults are more likely to view pornography when they hold a salient belief (norm) that their peers both approve of viewing and regularly view pornography. The study also found that parents’ provision of rules about viewing pornography during adolescence may reduce future pornography use by instilling the salient belief that the parent disapproves of viewing pornography. These findings suggest that the effect of rules in the home about adolescents’ use of pornography may persist into emerging adulthood.