Pubertal Development and Adolescent Girls’ Substance Use

Abstract

To highlight individual and neighborhood interactions in the risk of adolescent substance use, this study examined the moderating role of neighborhood disadvantage on the relationship between pubertal development and adolescent girls' substance use. Drawing on the contextual amplification hypothesis, it was hypothesized that the effect of pubertal development on substance use would vary by level of neighborhood disadvantage and race. The sample included 5,591 adolescent girls from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (23% Black, 15% Hispanic, 55% White, and 7% Other race). Results showed that the relationships between pubertal development, neighborhood disadvantage, and alcohol use varied for girls from different racial backgrounds. Although there was some of evidence of contextual amplification among Black adolescent girls, low levels of neighborhood disadvantage tended to be associated with higher levels of alcohol use during early adolescence. Findings highlight the importance of studying the interaction between individual-and environmental-level risk factors.

Pubertal timing, racial identity, neighborhood, and school context among Black adolescent females.

“…There may be other aspects of the neighborhood that are more important among Black girls. Prior work illustrates that pubertal development was positively linked to alcohol use, which was amplified for Black girls residing in high disadvantaged neighborhoods (Tanner-Smith, 2012). Disadvantaged neighborhoods were operationalized economically such as the proportion of single female-headed households, the proportion of households receiving public assistance, and the proportion of persons below the poverty level (see Tanner-Smith, 2012).…”

“…Prior work illustrates that pubertal development was positively linked to alcohol use, which was amplified for Black girls residing in high disadvantaged neighborhoods (Tanner-Smith, 2012). Disadvantaged neighborhoods were operationalized economically such as the proportion of single female-headed households, the proportion of households receiving public assistance, and the proportion of persons below the poverty level (see Tanner-Smith, 2012). The effects of early pubertal maturation were heightened among Black girls who lived in neighborhoods characterized as economically impoverished (Tanner-Smith, 2012).…”

Sleeping away from home: a vehicle for adolescent delinquency?

“…Further, Fagan et al (2014) showed the link between neighborhood factors and increased substance use among adolescents. Neighborhood disadvantage has also been positively associated with substance use among adolescent females (Tanner-Smith, 2012).…”

Pubertal Development and Sexual Intercourse Among Adolescent Girls

“…In general, there is persuasive evidence of peer mediation processes in studies of pubertal development and various types of adverse outcomes, including depression, school failure, and substance abuse (Cavanagh, Riegle-Crumb, & Crosnoe, 2007;Halpern et al, 2007;Marklein, Negriff, & Dorn, 2009;Tanner-Smith, 2012).…”

“…Research by Haynie (2003) showed that early puberty is particularly strongly related to “party delinquency,” that is, such victimless offending as drinking, smoking, truancy, and disorderly conduct, and that delinquent peer associations and dating behavior are the principal mechanisms accounting for this effect. In general, there is persuasive evidence of peer mediation processes in studies of pubertal development and various types of adverse outcomes, including depression, school failure, and substance abuse (Cavanagh, Riegle-Crumb, & Crosnoe, 2007; Halpern et al, 2007; Marklein, Negriff, & Dorn, 2009; Tanner-Smith, 2012).…”