Sleep Health Can Be Used to Predict Substance Use Initiation in Teenagers

Abstract Study Objectives Simultaneous alcohol and marijuana (SAM) use is increasingly prevalent among young adults but has adverse health consequences. The current study examined daily-level associations between perceived sleep health and SAM use, relative to non-substance-use days and alcohol- or marijuana-only days. We also estimated linear associations between alcohol/marijuana use and perceived sleep health and explored whether effects were moderated by combined use of alcohol and marijuana. Methods A community sample of SAM-using young adults (N=409; Mage=21.61, SD=2.17; 50.9% female; 48.2% White; 48.9% college students) completed twice-daily surveys for five 14-day sampling bursts. Daily measurements assessed substance use and perceived sleep health in terms of subjective sleep quality, negative impact of sleep on functioning, and symptoms of insomnia. Results Multilevel models indicated that, relative to non-substance-use days, participants reported poorer perceived sleep health on alcohol-only days, better perceived sleep health on marijuana-only days, and mixed evidence regarding SAM use (i.e., fewer perceived symptoms of insomnia, but poorer perceived next day functioning attributed to sleep). Daily-level estimates showed increased alcohol use was associated with poorer perceived sleep health, while stronger effects from marijuana were associated with better perceived sleep health. Across all indices of sleep health, only one linear association was moderated by combined use: The adverse association between alcohol and next day functioning was weaker on days alcohol was combined with marijuana. Conclusions Findings provide additional evidence for daily-level effects of alcohol and marijuana use on perceived sleep health and address an important literature gap regarding potential adverse effects of SAM use.

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School Climate as a Universal Intervention to Prevent Substance Use Initiation in Early Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study

Health Education & Behavior ◽

10.1177/1090198120914250 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 47 (3) ◽

pp. 402-411

Author(s):

Shay M. Daily ◽

Michael J. Mann ◽

Christa L. Lilly ◽

Thomas K. Bias ◽

Megan L. Smith ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

School Climate ◽

Illicit Drugs ◽

Warning Sign ◽

Student Behaviors ◽

School Students ◽

Eighth Grade Students ◽

Curve Modeling ◽

Positive School Climate ◽

Substance Use Initiation

Initiation of substance use often starts during adolescence, with tobacco and alcohol use frequently preceding the use of marijuana and other illicit drugs. Studies suggest that a positive school climate may prevent substance use while promoting healthy student behaviors. The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal associations between school climate and substance use initiation in a group of middle school students. Parallel latent growth curve modeling was used to examine changes among study variables longitudinally using a sample of 2,097 sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students across 16 regional schools located in three counties in West Virginia. Results suggest that a positive school climate may prevent substance use initiation (β = −0.07 to −0.25, p < .01). However, perceptions of school climate decreased on their own over time (β = −0.28 to −0.66, p < .01). Furthermore, substance use initiation also increased as students grew older (β = 0.96 to 0.99, p < .01) and reduced the effects of school climate longitudinally (β = −0.07 to −0.24, p < .01). Early substance use initiation may be a warning sign of other underlying student issues and requires additional school support to foster student success. Findings suggest that a positive school climate may delay substance use initiation and promote school success. School climate may, therefore, be useful as an intervention to support school-based health promotion.

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Examining Intervention Component Dosage Effects on Substance Use Initiation in the Strengthening Families Program: for Parents and Youth Ages 10–14

Prevention Science ◽

10.1007/s11121-019-00994-7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (6) ◽

pp. 852-862 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Emily J. LoBraico ◽

Gregory M. Fosco ◽

Daniel Max Crowley ◽

Cleve Redmond ◽

Richard L. Spoth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Intervention Component ◽

Dosage Effects ◽

Strengthening Families Program ◽

Strengthening Families ◽

Substance Use Initiation

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Exposure to Persistently Delinquent Peers and Substance Use Onset: A Test of Moffitt’s Social Mimicry Hypothesis

Crime & Delinquency ◽

10.1177/0011128719869190 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 66 (3) ◽

pp. 420-445

Author(s):

Alex O. Widdowson ◽

J. W. Andrew Ranson ◽

Sonja E. Siennick ◽

Kelly L. Rulison ◽

D. Wayne Osgood

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Social Network ◽

Network Data ◽

Social Network Data ◽

Sudden Rise ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Specific Substance ◽

Life Course Persistent ◽

Delinquent Peers ◽

Substance Use Initiation

Moffitt’s social mimicry hypothesis states that the sudden rise in offending during adolescence is partly the result of adolescence-limited delinquents modeling the behavior of their life-course persistent peers. We test this hypothesis using social network data from 7,742 adolescents followed from 6th to 12th grades to consider whether having a persistently delinquent friend, especially one who used substances, predicted substance use initiation. Results indicated that although having a persistently delinquent friend was associated with an increased risk of general substance use initiation, adolescents who had a persistently delinquent friend were just as likely to initiate smoking, drinking, and marijuana use whether that friend used that specific substance or not, which suggests that adolescents may not mimic their friends’ use of specific substances.

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