2-201 - Findings on adolescent substance use when diversity and inclusion are prioritized

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

What we know about adolescent substance use largely pertains to White, heterosexual, cisgender youth – that is, researchers have not prioritized diversity and inclusion in sampling frames or analyses. When diversity is accounted for, it does not typically consider with-group variation. Thus, critical questions remain about the extent of variation in substance use epidemiology and etiology across and within racial-ethnic, gender minority, and sexual orientation, subgroups. We present four papers that focus on substance use prevalence and disparities among underrepresented groups using U.S. national-, state-, and community-level data. Findings from paper one, using Monitoring the Future data, show that adolescent Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and ‘Other Hispanic’ groups differ in their marijuana, cigarette, and cocaine use. Paper two, using genetic and neighborhood risk data, reveals that genetic risk for alcohol use significantly interacts with adolescents’ conduct problems. The third paper, using California population-based data, shows that sexual orientation related disparities in substance use significantly vary by adolescent age. The final paper demonstrates nuanced differences in self-reported substance use across transgender identity subgroups by sexual orientation and race/ethnicity. All four studies show significant variation in substance use by subgroups (ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation). Together, the presentations address key gaps in understanding variation in substance use as a function of important racial/ethnic, gender, and sexual identities; groups that have been historically underrepresented and understudied in research. The Chair will summarize overarching themes and key implications regarding diversity in substance use epidemiology and etiology in effort to stimulate audience involvement.

Sub Unit

• Developmental Psychopathology

Chairs

• Berenice Castillo, University of Michigan

• John Schulenberg, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Individual Presentations

• Substance Use among Latino/a Adolescents - Presenting Author: Berenice Castillo, University of Michigan; Non-Presenting Author: John Schulenberg, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; Non-Presenting Author: Cristina B Bares, University of Michigan

• Adverse Contexts and Genetic Risk for Alcohol Use Among African American Adolescents - Presenting Author: Cristina B Bares, University of Michigan; Non-Presenting Author: Karen G Chartier, Virginia Commonwealth University; Non-Presenting Author: Katherine Karriker-Jaffe, Alcohol Research Group; Non-Presenting Author: Fazil Aliev, Virginia Commonwealth University; Non-Presenting Author: Brian Mustanski, Northwestern University; Non-Presenting Author: Danielle M. Dick, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Age Differences in Sexual-Orientation-Related Substance Use Disparities among Youth: Findings from Population-Based Data - Presenting Author: Jessica N. Fish, University of Maryland College Park; Non-Presenting Author: Stephen T. Russell, University of Texas at Austin

• Variability in Substance Use Behaviors by Gender Identity: A Nuanced Examination of Subgroups - Presenting Author: Russell B Toomey, University of Arizona; Non-Presenting Author: Brittany A Abeln, University of Arizona; Non-Presenting Author: Zhenqiang Zhao, University of Arizona; Non-Presenting Author: Jose Rodas, University of Arizona; Non-Presenting Author: Amy Syvertsen, Search Institute