Drug Use Patterns and Continuous Enrollment in College:Results From a Longitudinal Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective: Few longitudinal studies have examined the relationship between illicit drug use and academic outcomes among college students. This study characterized drug use patterns of a cohort of young adults who were originally enrolled as fi rst-time, fi rst-year college students in a longitudinal study. It evaluated the association between these drug use patterns and continuous enrollment during college, holding constant demographic characteristics, high school grade point average, fraternity/sorority involvement, personality/temperament characteristics, nicotine dependence, and alcohol use disorder. Method: Participants (n = 1,133; 47% male) were purposively selected from one university and interviewed annually for 4 years, beginning with their fi rst year of college, regardless of continued college attendance. Enrollment data were culled from administrative records. Group-based trajectory analyses characterized 4-year longitudinal drug use patterns. Two grouping variables were derived based on (a) marijuana use frequency and (b) number of illicit drugs used other than marijuana. Seventy-one percent of the sample was continuously enrolled in the home institution during the fi rst 4 years of study. Results: Multivariable logistic regression models demonstrated that infrequent, increasing, and chronic/heavy marijuana use patterns were signifi cantly associated with discontinuous enrollment (adjusted odds ratio = 1.66, 1.74, and 1.99, respectively), compared with minimal use, holding constant covariates. In separate models, drug use other than marijuana also was signifi cantly associated with discontinuous enrollment. Conclusions: Marijuana use and other illicit drug use are both associated with a decreased likelihood of continuous enrollment in college, independent of several other possible risk factors. These fi ndings highlight the need for early intervention with illicit drug users to mitigate possible negative academic consequences. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 74, 71-83, 2013)

Substance Use Trajectories From Early Adolescence Through the Transition to College

“…The period of "emerging adulthood" is a time of notable transitions, including changes in residence, reduced supervision of activities, changes in peer groups, movement toward adult responsibilities, and growing independence of decision-making, making this period one of the most critical for potential changes in substance use (Arnett, 2000). In addition to age-related risks, college environments normalize substance use and allow access to same-age peers and alcohol and other drugs, thereby providing considerable opportunity for substance use experiences (Arria et al, 2013;White et al, 2005). Research suggests that heavy drinking is more likely among college students than in their non-college-attending contemporaries (Slutske et al, 2004), as is diagnosis of an alcohol use disorder (Slutske, 2005).…”

“…Although some work has examined prevalence across the college years (Arria et al, 2013;Garnier et al, 2009;Kasperski et al, 2011), no studies have used trajectory analyses to explore multiple substance use patterns across the transition to college. This is important, given that trajectories provide information on the progression of use that is not available in static rates.…”

Adolescent substance use and educational attainment: An integrative data analysis comparing cannabis and alcohol from three Australasian cohorts

“…A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 5 years in education (Arria et al, 2013), and academic failure (Hemphill et al, 2014), after adjustment for potential confounders. Others have found early alcohol use is weakly associated with lower school grades (Crosnoe et al, 2012)and future educational achievement (Latvala et al, 2014), particularly for males (Balsa et al, 2011).…”

National Analysis of Differences Among Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes: College Student and Nonstudent Emerging Adults

“…1 Students' heavy substance use is associated with poor college performance, dropping out of college, and unemployment after college. [2][3][4][5] Thus, in addition to posing a risk for injury and death, the substantial investment of funds and time by the college student, his or her family, and society are shortchanged by alcohol and drug issues.…”

“…16 The current understanding of student risk and protective factors has been discussed in the psychological literature. 1,3 However, little is known about emerging adults already in treatment in terms of student status and treatment success. Being a student may protect against the development of substance abuse problems.…”