Abstract
Marijuana is the most prevalent illicit drug used by adolescents and young adults, yet marijuana initiation is rarely studied
past adolescence. The present study sought to advance our understanding of parent and peer influences on marijuana exposure
opportunity and incident use during college. A sample of 1,253 students was assessed annually for 4 years starting with the
summer prior to college entry. More than one-third (38%wt) of students had already used marijuana at least once prior to college entry; another 25%wt initiated use after starting college. Of the 360 students who did not use marijuana prior to college, 74% were offered marijuana
during college; of these individuals, 54% initiated marijuana use. Both low levels of parental monitoring during the last
year of high school and a high percentage of marijuana-using peers independently predicted marijuana exposure opportunity
during college, holding constant demographics and other factors (AOR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.88–0.96, p < .001 and AOR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.08–1.14, p < .001, respectively). Among individuals with exposure opportunity, peer marijuana use (AOR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.03–1.05, p < .001), but not parental monitoring, was associated with marijuana initiation. Results underscore that peer influences operate
well into late adolescence and young adulthood and thus suggest the need for innovative peer-focused prevention strategies.
Parental monitoring during high school appears to influence exposure opportunity in college; thus, parents should be encouraged
to sustain rule-setting and communication about adolescent activities and friend selection throughout high school.
past adolescence. The present study sought to advance our understanding of parent and peer influences on marijuana exposure
opportunity and incident use during college. A sample of 1,253 students was assessed annually for 4 years starting with the
summer prior to college entry. More than one-third (38%wt) of students had already used marijuana at least once prior to college entry; another 25%wt initiated use after starting college. Of the 360 students who did not use marijuana prior to college, 74% were offered marijuana
during college; of these individuals, 54% initiated marijuana use. Both low levels of parental monitoring during the last
year of high school and a high percentage of marijuana-using peers independently predicted marijuana exposure opportunity
during college, holding constant demographics and other factors (AOR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.88–0.96, p < .001 and AOR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.08–1.14, p < .001, respectively). Among individuals with exposure opportunity, peer marijuana use (AOR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.03–1.05, p < .001), but not parental monitoring, was associated with marijuana initiation. Results underscore that peer influences operate
well into late adolescence and young adulthood and thus suggest the need for innovative peer-focused prevention strategies.
Parental monitoring during high school appears to influence exposure opportunity in college; thus, parents should be encouraged
to sustain rule-setting and communication about adolescent activities and friend selection throughout high school.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-12
- DOI 10.1007/s11121-011-0243-4
- Authors
- Gillian M. Pinchevsky, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- Amelia M. Arria, Center on Young Adult Health and Development (CYAHD), Department of Family Science, University of Maryland School of Public Health, 8400 Baltimore Ave, Suite 100, College Park, MD 20740, USA
- Kimberly M. Caldeira, Center on Young Adult Health and Development (CYAHD), Department of Family Science, University of Maryland School of Public Health, 8400 Baltimore Ave, Suite 100, College Park, MD 20740, USA
- Laura M. Garnier-Dykstra, Center on Young Adult Health and Development (CYAHD), Department of Family Science, University of Maryland School of Public Health, 8400 Baltimore Ave, Suite 100, College Park, MD 20740, USA
- Kathryn B. Vincent, Center on Young Adult Health and Development (CYAHD), Department of Family Science, University of Maryland School of Public Health, 8400 Baltimore Ave, Suite 100, College Park, MD 20740, USA
- Kevin E. O’Grady, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Journal Prevention Science
- Online ISSN 1573-6695
- Print ISSN 1389-4986