Abstract
Although psychological symptoms are broadly considered to be risk factors for substance use, internalizing symptoms may be associated with lower risk for adolescent substance use after controlling for co-occurring externalizing symptoms. The present study explored two potential mediators of this protective association between internalizing symptoms and adolescent substance use: popularity and harm avoidance. The study used data from the Colorado Longitudinal Twin Study (LTS) and Colorado Adoption Project (CAP). Annual assessments of internalizing and externalizing symptoms and social competence were completed by parents and teachers at participant ages 7 to 16. Harm avoidance and substance use were assessed at age 17. In this sample, internalizing symptoms were associated with less frequent substance use, controlling for externalizing symptoms. We did not find evidence that popularity or harm avoidance account for the protective association of internalizing symptoms with adolescent substance use. Teacher-reported popularity was associated with less frequent substance use, suggesting that social connectedness in the school context may be a protective factor for adolescent substance use. Harm avoidance was not associated with substance use after accounting for internalizing and externalizing symptoms.
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Notes
See Rhea, Bricker, Wadsworth, & Corley (2013) for more specific recruitment and sample information from the CAP.
For the longitudinal measures (internalizing, externalizing, and popularity) we also examined latent growth curve models to explore the possible associations between change in these measures and adolescent substance use. However, the slope variances for internalizing, externalizing, and popularity were not significant, except for the slope of internalizing in twin boys. Results available upon request.
See Jöreskog, 1999 for an explanation regarding why standardized coefficients can be greater than one.
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This work was supported by National Institute of Health Grants AG046938, DA011015, DA017637, DA057894, and DA054087.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Data collection and analysis were performed by Robin Corley, Maya Rieselbach, Shelley Gresko, and Soo Rhee. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Maya Rieselbach and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Rieselbach, M.M., Gresko, S., Corley, R.P. et al. An Examination of the Protective Role of Internalizing Symptoms in Adolescent Substance Use. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 46, 12–24 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-024-10119-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-024-10119-2