Multiple substance use patterns in adolescents—A multilevel latent class analysis. (1st October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tomczyk, Samuel; Hanewinkel, Reiner; Isensee, Barbara
• Is Part Of: Drug and alcohol dependence. Volume 155(2015)
• Page Start: 208
• Page End: 214
• Publication Date: 2015-10-01
• Subjects: Multiple substance use -- Adolescence -- Latent class analysis -- Multilevel analysis -- Alcohol -- Smoking; Drug abuse -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; 616.86
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.07.016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0376-8716

Abstract

Highlights: We identified three classes of adolescent multiple substance use. Classes comprise non-users (61.9%), experimenters (29.0%), multiusers (9.1%). We applied multilevel latent class analysis to test for multilevel effects. Age, bullying, parental and peer use predicted experimental and multiuse. School type strongly predicted experimental and multiuse. Abstract: Background: Multiple substance use among adolescents is associated with a number of negative consequences. Therefore, we aim to investigate multiple substance use patterns among young adolescents and identify possible multilevel predictors. Methods: We analyzed a longitudinal sample of 2490 German students (51% male; M age = 13.32, SD = 0.57) at 45 schools in four German states (Bremen, Hesse, North Rhine–Westphalia, Schleswig–Holstein), who completed two assessments in fall, 2010 and fall, 2013. We conducted multilevel latent class analysis for follow-up data on a variety of outcomes, and tested our final 3-class-model for possible baseline predictors. Follow-up substance use measures included lifetime use, current use, and amount of substance for cigarettes and alcohol. Baseline covariates comprised age, gender, socio-economic status, bullying, victimization, peer and parental use, type of school, and health certification of school. Results: We identified three latent classes: non-users ( n = 1541; 61.9%), experimenters ( n = 722; 29.0%), and multiusers ( n = 227; 9.1%). Experimental consumption was predicted by higher baseline age (OR = 1.71; 1.31–2.24), paternal drinking (OR = 2.89; 1.23–6.79), and school type (OR = 2.57; 1.83–3.61), while multiuse was predicted by peer smoking (OR = 2.94; 1.80–4.80) and drinking (OR = 2.13; 1.32–3.44), maternal drinking (OR = 6.26; 2.02–19.43), bullying (OR = 1.69; 1.15–2.48), higher age (OR = 1.92; 1.40–2.62), and school type (OR = 4.76; 2.75–8.24) compared to the non-users class. Conclusions: Prevention and further research on multiple substance use need to concentrate on social influence models and behavior-related interventions, especially at schools without a college-preparatory track.