NCJ Number
155881
Journal
Journal of Abnormal Psychology Volume: 99 Issue: 1 Dated: (1990) Pages: 86-91
Date Published
1990
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Data from the National Longitudinal Youth Survey (NLSY) were analyzed to study interrelationships between antisocial behavior in early adolescence (ages 14-15) and late adolescent alcohol and drug use (ages 18-19).
Abstract
The sampling design of the NLSY consisted of a national probability sample of 5,700 female youths and 5,700 male youths in 1979, with an oversampling of blacks, Hispanics, and economically disadvantaged whites. Analysis of delinquency and substance use revealed that correlations between antisocial behavior in early adolescence and substance use in late adolescence were of higher magnitude and more uniform for men than for women. In the case of women, property offenses in early adolescence were more highly associated with alcohol use, alcohol-related problems, and illicit drug use in late adolescence than with either status offenses or crimes against persons. Multiple regression analysis indicated that early adolescent substance involvement was a significant predictor of late adolescent alcohol and drug use. Additional significant predictors included early adolescent general delinquency, male gender, and nonblack ethnicity. 22 references and 3 tables