Poster #20 - Substance use and negative life events as predictors of delinquent behaviors in a sample of rural middle schoolers

• In Event: Poster Session 12

Abstract

Delinquent behavior is a significant public health concern that has tremendous interpersonal and economic impacts. In addition, youth who engage in delinquent behavior are more likely to become involved in serious, violent, and chronic offending (Bevilacqua et al., 2018), making it a critical behavior to understand. Recently, risk factors for delinquency are considered in terms of dynamic (modifiable) and static (not modifiable) risk factors. One of the more potent and well researched dynamic factors is peer involvement in delinquency, as peer behavior at this age has a strong influence over youth behavior (Gallupe et al., 2019; Hubbard & Pratt, 2002). However, less is known about other risk factors such as involvement in substance use (dynamic risk) and negative life events (static risk) while controlling for peer delinquency, both of which have also consistently been linked with youth delinquent behaviors (DiPierro et al., 2016; Janssen et al., 2016; Meldrum & Boman, 2013). Prior research has also identified substance use as a risk factor for delinquency (Odgers et al., 2008), perhaps because of substance use’s impact on adolescent brain development (Toumbourou et al., 2007) and other high-risk behaviors (e.g., risky sexual behaviors; Ogders et al., 2008). Similarly, negative life events have been shown to predict increases in delinquent behaviors (Fox et al., 2015).
Thus, the current study sought to examine middle schoolers over the course of 6 months to determine what effect last 30-day substance use and negative life events had on predicting non-substance use delinquency while controlling for previous (i.e., past semester) self-delinquency and peer delinquency. We hypothesized that both risk factors would be associated with higher endorsement of delinquency.
Participants included 260 youth (53% male) enrolled in 6-8th grade at the only public middle school for a small, Midwestern community with a median household income of $72,477. Participants completed the current survey measures which included: Self and Peer delinquency, Past 30-day substance use (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana), and Negative Life Events, in large groups where no school staff were present. Participants were also informed of the researcher’s certificate of confidentiality from the Department of Health and Human Services given the nature of the information being collected. Surveys were completed during the fall and spring semesters, approximately six months apart.
Correlation analyses indicated that previous semester peer delinquency, self-delinquency, negative life events, and substance use in the last 30 days were all significantly correlated with self-delinquency the following semester (ps .000-.012). Sex was not correlated with delinquency. However, in a subsequent multiple regression analysis, previous semester self-delinquency and last 30-day substance use significantly predicted delinquency in the spring. See Table 1.
Consistent with hypotheses negative life events and substance use were both associated with delinquency. However, when controlling for other factors, substance use in the last 30 days emerged as a potent risk factor for delinquency.

Authors

• Rebecca Griffith, University of Kansas
  Presenting Author

• Daryl Hesse, University of Kansas

• Paula Fite, University of Kansas