Poster #64 - Does Early Substance Use Initiation Relate to Traumatic Life Events?

• In Event: 3-106 - Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: PS 11 Section - Developmental Psychopathology

Integrative Statement

In a study of adults admitted to substance treatment facilities, 40% began substance use before age 14, indicating that substance use prevention should begin during early adolescence (Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, 2014). Children and adolescents have poorer decision-making skills and less ability to assess risk, so they may be naive to the risks of early substance use (Klaczynski, 2001). Drug use during adolescence is linked to worse long-term physical and mental health outcomes, substance dependence, and delinquency (Armstrong & Costello, 2002; Chassin, Flora, & King, 2004). Substance use initiation (SUI) may be the beginning of maladaptive choices, leading to exposure to potentially traumatic events (Raghavan & Kingston, 2006). Earlier SUI has been found to predict increased exposure to traumatic life events (TLEs) among female drug addicts and community-dwelling adolescents, with ample evidence specifically for survivors of child abuse (Kingston & Raghavan, 2009; Raghavan & Kingston, 2006). Therefore, this study will analyze the relationship between SUI and TLEs to see if three specific traumatic events relate to age of SUI. Gender differences will be also explored.
Young adults (n = 95) ages 18-25 from an urban city were recruited to participate in a dating relationships study. A battery of surveys was administered, including a measure of substance use and traumatic lifetime events. Reported age of first use for tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and non-prescribed prescription drugs was coded for early initiation (<15 years old), adolescent initiation (>14 years old), and non-users. We hypothesized that (1) earlier substance use initiation will relate to traumatic life events (physical assault, sexual assault, unwanted/uncomfortable sexual experiences) and (2) early substance initiators will experience more TLEs than adolescent initiators and non-users.
Initial chi-square tests revealed partial support for hypothesis 1. A significant relationship exists between sexual assault and uncomfortable sexual experiences, and initiation of non-prescribed prescription drugs and marijuana. There was no significant relationship between physical assault and SUI (Table 1). Hypothesis 2 was supported in several cases (Table 2). In early prescription drug users compared to non-users, females experienced more sexual assault, and males experienced more sexual assault and uncomfortable sexual experiences. Early marijuana initiators, male and female, experienced increased rates of sexual assault compared to non-users as well.
The project adds to previous literature by establishing a relationship between early SUI and TLE. Specifically, this study focused on four substances, rather than any use, and three TLEs, rather than a total number of traumas, giving researchers a more nuanced picture of this relationship. The relationship between SUI and sexual assault was observed in male and female participants, indicating that this relationship may develop similarly across genders. This data revealed a significant relationship between sexually-traumatic events and initiation of marijuana and prescription drug use, but not other substances; more research is needed to understand why. Future research should investigate what leads to substance use in early adolescence to better understand how youth can be protected from harmful outcomes.

Authors

• Courtney Dunn, Cleveland State University
  Presenting Author

• Elizabeth Goncy, Cleveland State University
  Non-Presenting Author