Escalation and Initiation of Younger Adolescents’ Substance Use: The Impact of Perceived Peer Use

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.02.010

Journal of Adolescent Health

Volume 39, Issue 4, October 2006, Pages 481-487

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.02.010 Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

The middle school years are peak years for substance use initiation. The current study assessed the impact of peer influence on both initiation and escalation of cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use among sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.

Methods

Youth (n = 974; 45% male) were surveyed twice over an academic year and reported on their personal substance use and their perception of peer substance use. The sample ranged in age from 10 to 15 years at Time 1 (M age = 11.95) and was 44% White, 26% Latino, 7% Asian American/Pacific Islander, 4% African American, and 14% mixed ethnic origin.

Results

Hierarchical regressions examined whether personal and perceived peer substance use predicted later substance involvement, and logistic regressions assessed whether Time 1 perceived peer and personal use of other substances discriminated between initiates and noninitiates. After controlling for personal substance use, perceived peer alcohol use predicted both increased alcohol and marijuana use, and perceived peer marijuana use predicted increased alcohol use. Only perceived peer alcohol use was associated with initiation of alcohol, and both perceived peer alcohol and marijuana use predicted onset of marijuana use.

Conclusions

Results highlight the importance of perceived peer use in predicting both onset and escalation of use and suggest utilizing a multifaceted prevention approach that targets multiple substances.

Section snippets

Sample

Data were collected from sixth, seventh, and eighth graders from two middle schools in California in November and May of a single school year (n = 974). The sample was 45% male, and ranged in age from 10 to 15 years at Time 1 (M = 11.95, SD = .86). Approximately 44% were White, 26% Latino, 7% Asian American/Pacific Islander, 4% African American, 14% identified themselves as mixed ethnic origin, and 5% identified themselves as “other.”

Procedure

Materials and procedures were approved by the Human Subjects

Grade differences

Table 1 provides descriptive data for lifetime use of each substance at Time 1, and past-month and perceived peer use at both time points. Chi-square comparisons indicated that prevalence rates for all substance and perceived peer use variables differed across grades, with higher rates reported by participants in the older grades, except for past-month cigarette use at Time 2.

Gender differences

Rates for substance use did not differ across gender. Rates for perceived peer use differed only at Time 1, with females

Discussion

We examined the impact of perceived peer substance involvement on middle school students’ personal substance use and initiation of use over an academic year. We addressed gaps in the literature by longitudinally assessing use and onset of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana for a younger population, controlling for previous use of these substances, and examining how both personal use and perception of use for different substances (e.g., alcohol and cigarettes) may influence escalation and onset

Acknowledgments

Work on this article was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R21AA13284) to Elizabeth D’Amico. The authors acknowledge the support of the school district and the two middle schools where this research was conducted and thank the Principals and Physical Education departments whose support made this project possible. We would also like to acknowledge the comments of the three reviewers who helped clarify our presentation of this research.

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Original articleEscalation and Initiation of Younger Adolescents’ Substance Use: The Impact of Perceived Peer Use