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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 10/2016

01-10-2016 | Original Paper

Marijuana use from adolescence to adulthood: developmental trajectories and their outcomes

Authors: Judith S. Brook, Chenshu Zhang, Carl G. Leukefeld, David W. Brook

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 10/2016

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Abstract

Background

The study assesses the degree to which individuals in different trajectories of marijuana use are similar or different in terms of unconventional behavior, sensation seeking, emotional dysregulation, nicotine dependence, alcohol dependence/abuse, children living at home, and spouse/partner marijuana use at age 43.

Method

This study used a longitudinal design. The sample participants (N = 548) were first studied at mean age 14 and last studied at mean age 43.

Results

Six trajectories of marijuana use were identified: chronic/heavy users (3.6 %), increasing users (5.1 %), chronic/occasional users (20 %), decreasers (14.3 %), quitters (22.5 %), and nonusers/experimenters (34.5 %). With three exceptions, as compared with being a nonuser/experimenter, a higher probability of belonging to the chronic/heavy, the increasing, or the chronic/occasional user trajectory group was significantly associated with a greater likelihood of unconventional behavior, sensation seeking, emotional dysregulation, nicotine dependence, alcohol dependence/abuse, not having children who lived at home, and having a spouse/partner who used marijuana at early midlife. In addition, compared with being a quitter, a higher probability of belonging to the chronic/heavy user trajectory group was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of unconventional behavior, sensation seeking, emotional dysregulation, alcohol dependence/abuse, and spouse/partner marijuana use. Implications for intervention are presented.

Conclusions

Trajectories of marijuana use, especially chronic/heavy use, increasing use, and chronic/occasional use, are associated with unconventional behavior, sensation seeking, emotional dysregulation, nicotine dependence, alcohol dependence/abuse, having children who lived at home, and spouse/partner marijuana use at age 43. The importance of the findings for prevention and treatment programs are discussed.
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Metadata
Title
Marijuana use from adolescence to adulthood: developmental trajectories and their outcomes
Authors
Judith S. Brook
Chenshu Zhang
Carl G. Leukefeld
David W. Brook
Publication date
01-10-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 10/2016
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1229-0

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