Adolescent and Young Adult Substance Use

The problem of substance use among adolescents is of great concern to researchers, policy makers, and the public in terms of health, education, and social consequences. Preventive interventions, whether programs targeted at substance use (generally, or even use of a single, specific substance) or more comprehensive programs, would benefit from a greater knowledge of the mechanisms leading to the onset, growth, and cessation of adolescent substance use. Because most data regarding substance use and its correlates have been collected in natural settings, conclusions about the causal pathways to substance use and abuse have been constrained. Contemporary data-analytic methods can improve our certainty about these mechanisms, however. The goal of this program of research is to apply contemporary methods to improve understanding about the normative developmental trajectories of substance use during adolescence. Examples of this line of research include Dodge, Malone, et al. (2009); Flory, Malone, & Lamis (in press); Lubansky et al. (2010, June); Malone, Lamis, et al. (2010); and Malone, Van Eck, et al. (2010)

A second element of RAPBL's research on substance use is its impact in early adulthood, specifically among college and college-age youth. The specific focus of our recent work on this subject is the role of alcohol use and related problems in young adult suicide and suicide proneness. We have found significant associations among these variables and continue to conduct research in this area as both alcohol use and engagement in suicidal behaviors are prevalent on college campuses. Recent examples include Lamis, Malone, & Langhinrichsen-Rohling (2010) and Lamis, Malone, Langhinrichsen-Rohling, & Ellis (2010).

Relevant Forthcoming, Recent, and Representative Presentations and Publications:

  • Flory, K., Malone, P. S., & Lamis, D. A. (2011). Childhood ADHD and risk for cigarette smoking during adolescence: School adjustment as a potential mediator. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 25, 320-329. Abstract
  • Lamis, D. A., & Malone, P. S. (2010, November). Alcohol-related problems and suicidal behavior among college students: Belongingness and burdensomeness as potential mediators. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Public Health Education, Denver, CO.
  • Lubansky, J., Malone, P. S., Lamont, A. E., & Huang, L. (2010, June). Adolescent substance use and early predictors. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Prevention Research, Denver, CO.
  • Lamis, D. A., Malone, P. S., & Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J. (2010). Involvement in intimate partner psychological abuse and suicide proneness in college women: Alcohol related problems as a potential mediator. Partner Abuse, 1, 169-185. PMCID: PMC2882695 Abstract
  • Lamis, D. A., Malone, P. S., Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J., & Ellis, T. E. (2010). Body investment, depression, and alcohol use as risk factors for suicide proneness in college students. Crisis, 31, 118-127. PMCID: PMC2892815 Abstract
  • Malone, P. S., Lamis, D. A., Masyn, K. E., & Northrup, T. F. (2010). A dual-process discrete-time survival model: Application to the gateway drug hypothesis. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 45, 790-805. PMCID: PMC2988450 Abstract
  • Malone, P. S., Van Eck, K., Flory, K., & Lamis, D. A. (in press). A mixture-model approach to linking ADHD to adolescent onset of illicit drug use. Developmental Psychology, 46, 1543-1555. Abstract
  • Lamis, D. A., Northrup, T. F., & Malone, P. S. (2009, May). How the mediating function of hopelessness from alcohol-related problems to suicide proneness changes with social support moderation. Poster presented at the meeting of the Society of Prevention Research, Washington, DC.
  • Malone, P. S., Masyn, K. E., Lamis, D. A., Lamont, A., & Northrup, T. F. (2009, May). Multifacet longitudinal models of the progression of youth alcohol use. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society of Prevention Research, Washington, DC.
  • Dodge, K. A., Malone, P. S., Lansford, J. E., Miller, S., Pettit, G. S., & Bates, J. E. (2009). A dynamic cascade model of the development of substance-use onset. Society for Research in Child Development Monographs, 74, vii-120. Abstract
  • Lamis, D. A., Ellis, J., Chumney, F., & Dula, C. (2009). Reasons for living and alcohol use among college students. Death Studies, 33, 277-286. Abstract
  • Sloan, F. A., Malone, P. S., Kertesz, S. G., Wang, Y., & Costanzo, P. R. (2009). Racial differences in the relationship between alcohol consumption in early adulthood and occupational attainment at midlife. American Journal of Public Health, 99, 2261-2267. Abstract

Updated June 26, 2011

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