Longitudinal Relationships Between Self-Management Skills and Substance Use in an Urban Sample of Predominantly Minority Adolescents

Abstract

We explored changes in self-management skills and substance use from 7th to 11th grade in a multiwave study of predominantly minority adolescents (N = 1,756). Using latent growth curve analysis, we found that substance use significantly increased, whereas self-management skills significantly decreased. In a parallel process model, we found that participants who reported higher self-management skills in the 7th grade had smaller increases in substance use. Participants who had larger decreases in self-management skills tended to have greater increases in substance use. We also explored the influence of grades and gender and found that (a) participants with higher grades at baseline had lower initial substance use, higher initial self-management skills, and smaller increases in substance use, and (b) male participants had greater increases in substance use. These results suggest that the provision of self-management skills may be an effective strategy for preventing substance-use initiation and escalation during adolescence.

Effects of thePositive ActionProgram on Indicators of Positive Youth Development Among Urban Youth

“…There has been little discussion of reasons for this decline in the literature as some developmental theory would expect capabilities in prosocial development to improve during this age range (Eisenberg & Morris, 2004). In general, adolescents engage in more risky behaviors and less positive behavior; additionally, youth who develop more positive skills engage in less negative behavior (e.g., Lowe, Acevedo, Griffin, & Botvin, 2013). Kokko et al (2006) and Nantel-Vivier et al (2009) suggested that more work is needed to understand the decline, while Carlo et al (2007) and Washburn et al (2011) suggested that environmental factors such as exposure to high-risk conditions and lack of access to protective factors (positive role models, opportunities for constructive interactions, and emotional support) could influence these negative trajectories, particularly for students from low-income homes in urban environments.…”

Life Skills Training: A competence enhancement approach to tobacco, alcohol, and drug abuse prevention.

“…In two studies using latent growth modeling, the protective effects of self-management skills were examined longitudinally over the course of middle school and high school. Findings indicated that early self-management skills slowed growth in substance use (i.e., alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana) over time, and that increases in self-management skills were inversely related to growth in substance use over time (Griffin, Scheier, & Botvin, 2009;Lowe, Acevedo, Griffin, & Botvin, 2013).…”

Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence in a Sample of Multiethnic Urban Young Adults

“…Some possibilities include providing skills training for coping with stress, anger, and anxiety (such as relaxation training). Research on general risk behaviors suggests that strong self-regulation is a critical factor for preventing IPV as it is robustly linked decreased use of substances and risky sex among adolescents and young adults (e.g., Fishbein et al, 2006; Griffin, Bang, & Botvin, 2010; Lowe, Acevedo, Griffin, & Botvin, 2012; Wills, Walker, Mendoza, & Ainette, 2006). Thus, interventions may also seek to provide individuals with skills to enhance self-regulatory capacities.…”