Poster #95 - Early Familial Experiences Predict Mental Health and Substance use Patterns During the Transition to College

• In Event: 1-115 - Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Section - Family Context & Processes

Integrative Statement

Negative early life experiences have profound adverse effects on mental health and substance use behaviors well into emerging adulthood (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012; Cicchetti & Lynch, 1995; Felitti et al., 1998). Traditionally, childhood adversity is operationalized as either physical or emotional abuse from parents towards their children, but more recent research has recognized other key early-life experiences that can have damaging effects on children (Morton, Turiano, Mroczek, & Ferraro, 2016). For example, family disruptions such as parental divorce or death, or living in lower socioeconomic strata also have detrimental effects on developing children. Thus, the current study explored how more familial-related childhood experiences of misfortune impact emotional health and substance use behaviors in youths transitioning from high school to a large mid-Atlantic University.

We utilized longitudinal data on 580 participants (aged 18-20 at baseline) collected during the 2016-17 academic year as part of the College Student Transition Study. A retrospective familial childhood adversity score was constructed using five questions assessed at baseline (1. neither parent having a college education; 2. parents that were divorced, separated, or deceased; 3. low perceived social class; 4. trouble paying bills in the household; and 5. having a poor relationship with their mother/father). Questions were coded a 0 if no adversity was present and coded a 1 for endorsing that type of adversity. Scores for these five questions were summed such that higher scores represented greater levels of childhood adversity (0 = 19%; 1 = 31%; 2 = 21%; 3 = 14%; 4 = 8%; 5 = 7%). The average level of childhood adversity was 1.80 (SD = 1.44) demonstrating good variability in early life experiences. For mental health outcomes, we assessed depression with the CES-D (Radloff, 1977) and the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen et al., 1983). Several questions assessing lifetime and current use of several tobacco products (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, electronic-cigarettes) and illicit drug use (e.g., marijuana, sedatives, cocaine) were used to construct binary outcomes to index use (coded 1) versus non-use (coded 0).

With the childhood adversity score as the focal predictor (controlling for age, gender, and race), we utilized multiple linear regression to predict depression levels and perceived stress scores (Table 1). We utilized logistic regression to predict lifetime and current use of each tobacco product and drug use (Table 2). Results demonstrated that those scoring higher in childhood adversity had statistically higher levels of depression and perceived stress. Higher adversity score also predicted a greater odds of ever being a regular cigarette smoker and currently being an electronic cigarette user. Lastly, higher adversity predicted a greater odds of currently being an illicit drug user (e.g., marijuana and sedative use most common substances used).

Findings underscore the negative long-term effects childhood adversity can have on development. Understanding exactly how familial-sources of adversity lead to poor developmental and behavior outcomes is necessary so intervention efforts can be implemented to buffer these negative effects. A more detailed discussion of risk and resilience factors associated with familial adversity will be presented.

Authors

• Nicholas A. Turiano, West Virginia University
  Presenting Author

• Katelyn Romm, West Virginia University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Melissa D Blank, West Virginia University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Amy Gentzler, West Virginia University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Peter Giacobbi, West Virginia University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Geri Dino, West Virginia University
  Non-Presenting Author