Poster #57 - Growth in Risk Behaviors and Health in a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescents (Add Health)

• In Event: 3-003 - Poster Session 09
  In Poster Session: PS 09 Section - Developmental Psychopathology

Integrative Statement

Objective: Health and risk choices made by adolescents greatly impact their morbidity and mortality rates. In adolescence, more than at any other developmental period, general health is associated with risky behaviors such as engaging in unprotected sex, binge drinking, illegal drug use, and reckless driving (Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2011). Engaging in risky behaviors is moderated by certain demographic and psychosocial factors including race, sex, and perception of personal risk. The current study used random effects latent growth models to study the relation between changes in binge drinking and general health of a large sample of adolescents, and determine whether race, sex, and belief of being killed by age 21 impacted these growth processes. Method: This study utilized data from participants within the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health; Harris et al., 2009) collected between 1995 and 2008 (N = 810). Adolescents completed in-school questionnaires, and a random sample also completed in-home interviews (including the participant and a caregiver). Data from baseline, 1 year, and 6 year follow up were used in this study. Results: Analyses indicated that binge drinking was characterized by upward growth over time, whereas general health did not present with significant growth. Jointly considering binge drinking and general health, evidence suggests that higher baseline general health was associated with less baseline binge drinking behaviors, but also with greater increases of binge drinking over time. Males reported greater baseline drinking, greater increases in drinking over time, and higher baseline general health. Black race/ethnicity was associated with lower drinking at baseline, smaller increases in drinking, and lower baseline general health. Belief of being killed by age 21 was associated with greater baseline drinking and lower baseline general health. Conclusions: The current results suggest interrelated growth processes over time for health and drinking behaviors, with demographic factors such as gender, race, and beliefs about mortality also impacting the trajectory of health and binge drinking. Findings highlight potential factors impacting growth in health and drinking among adolescents, as well as possible targets for intervention or prevention efforts.

Authors

• Pamela Rakhshan, University of Maryland Baltimore County
  Non-Presenting Author

• Nicole Andorko, University of Maryland Baltimore County
  Non-Presenting Author

• Daniel Gordon, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
  Presenting Author

• Trevor Pitts, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  Non-Presenting Author