Substance Use, Academic Performance, and Academic Engagement Among High School Seniors

Examining within-person associations between alcohol and cannabis use and hooking up among adolescents and young adults in the United States

OBJECTIVE

This study examined daily associations between alcohol use, cannabis use, and simultaneous alcohol and cannabis/marijuana (SAM) use with the likelihood of hooking up (uncommitted sexual encounter that may or may not include intercourse).

METHOD

We used a longitudinal measurement burst ecological momentary assessment (EMA) design with 3-week EMA bursts with daily measurements repeated quarterly across 12 months. 1,009 (57 % female, Mean age = 20.00 [SD = 3.21]) Texan adolescents and young adults ages 15-25 participated in the study. Mixed effects logistic regression models were estimated using maximum likelihood estimation to evaluate the associations between substance use and hooking up.

RESULTS

Within-person results indicated that participants were more likely to hook up on days with alcohol use and on days with cannabis use, but not on days with SAM use. Participants were also more likely to hook up on drinking days with higher-than-usual alcohol use. Between-person results indicated that participants who used alcohol more often or cannabis more often on average were more likely to hook up, and participants who tended to drink more on drinking days were more likely to hook up.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the significant daily-level associations between alcohol and cannabis use and hooking up behavior, public health initiatives should focus on developing interventions to reduce alcohol and cannabis use and promote safer hooking up behavior among adolescents and young adults.

Forgone healthcare for medically vulnerable groups during the pandemic era: experiences of family caregivers of young adults with substance use disorders in Zambia

Introduction

Scholars worldwide have defined the COVID-19 pandemic as a mass-disabling event of our time. The situation is grave for families experiencing financial hurdles while caring for young adults in recovery from addiction problems.

Methods

Using semi-structured interviews with 30 purposively selected family caregivers (FCGs) of young adults with substance use disorders (SUDs) in Lusaka, Zambia, this study reveals several factors influencing forgone healthcare for this medically vulnerable group.

Results

Financial challenges and huge out-of-pocket bills; caregivers' perceived far-fetched recovery of the young adult; the cost of medication and transportation; the young adult's little perceived need for healthcare service use, their runaway and treatment elusive tendencies; caregiver concerns about contracting the virus, and the stigma associated with it; and a fragmented child and adolescent mental health system influenced forgone healthcare. The young adults were often unavailable for days and months, posing challenges to the continuity of care. Despite caregivers' acknowledgment of the availability of healthcare professionals, young adults with problematic substance use had limited access to SUD recovery services, resulting in adverse health outcomes. Results also show that most family caregivers encountered challenges in accessing and purchasing psychotropic medications, which were difficult to find during the lockdowns. Some family caregivers lost their sources of income by being laid off from work due to the pandemic and skipping work to attend to caregiving responsibilities. Most of those in self-employment had to close their business and stay home to look after their youth. Several caregivers kept their youth at home because they failed to access private residential SUD recovery services. Family caregivers mostly relied on outpatient public health services, alternative medicine from traditional healers, and faith-based healing, all of which some young adults rarely accessed because of their problematic behaviors of escaping healthcare.

Conclusion

These identifiable risk factors, and their detrimental consequences highlight the need for interventions to improve healthcare access for this vulnerable population. Supporting FCGs of addicted young adults is crucial in ensuring the well-being of both the caregivers and care recipients. Further research is warranted to explore potential solutions, such as peer support programs, policy changes, and education initiatives for carers and recipients in the (post) pandemic era.

Substance Use and Educational Impacts in Youth With and Without Chronic Illness

INTRODUCTION

Alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine are commonly used psychoactive substances that affect adolescent neurocognition. Little is known about the educational impacts of their use on measures of educational performance, participation and problems, especially among youth with a chronic illness who may use these substances to alleviate stress and symptoms.

METHODS

Adolescents receiving general or subspecialty care were administered an electronic survey from 2016 to 2018. Data were analyzed in 2023. Using modified Poisson models, cross-sectional associations between past 12-month usage of alcohol, cannabis, and/or nicotine and educational impacts were estimated.

RESULTS

Among 958 adolescents (mean age 16.0 years (SD 1.3), 564 (58.9%) female gender, 445 (46.5%) in subspecialty care), 294 (30.7%), 220 (23.0%), and 126 (13.2%) reported past 12-month use of alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine respectively, while 407 (42.5%) reported ≥1 educational impact, including recent lower grades 210 (21.9%), past 3-month truancy from school 164 (17.1%) or activities 170 (17.7%), and detention 82 (8.6%). Use of cannabis, but not other substances, was associated with negative educational impacts: lower grades (mostly C's/D's/F's), adjusted prevalence ratios [APR, (95% CI)] 1.54 (1.13-2.11); past 3-month truancy from school [2.16 (1.52-3.07)]; detention [2.29 (1.33-3.94)]. The association between cannabis use and any negative educational impact was stronger among adolescents with a chronic illness (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Among adolescents, cannabis use was associated with a heightened risk of negative educational impacts, even after controlling for alcohol and nicotine use. Adolescents with chronic illness were especially likely to experience negative educational impacts. Findings underscore need for preventive interventions and messaging to reduce risks.

Daily level examination indicates that positive affect, but not negative affect, is associated with alcohol and marijuana use among adolescents and young adults

OBJECTIVE

Although there is growing evidence that alcohol use at the daily level is associated with positive but not negative affect, results are mixed when examining marijuana use and simultaneous alcohol and marijuana (SAM) use (i.e., use with overlapping effects). In addition, less is known about these daily level associations among diverse samples of adolescents and young adults. The present study will address these gaps.

METHOD

Participants (N = 1,006; 57.3% female, 43.1% White, Non-Hispanic, ages 15-25; Mage = 20.0) were part of a study on substance use that consisted of a 3-week ecological momentary assessment (EMA) burst design (eight surveys per week, up to 2×/day) that was repeated quarterly over a 12-month period.

RESULTS

Within-person results indicated that on days with elevated positive affect, participants reported consuming more drinks, whereas positive affect was not significant for hours high from marijuana. In addition, on days with elevated negative affect, participants reported fewer hours high from marijuana. No association was found between negative affect and number of drinks. Finally, within-person results indicated that on alcohol or marijuana days with elevated positive affect, individuals were more likely to report SAM use. There was no association found between negative affect and SAM use.

CONCLUSIONS

Results have implications such that in-the-moment interventions for alcohol and SAM use may be more salient when individuals have higher positive affect than average, whereas such interventions may be more relevant for marijuana use when negative affect is lower compared to average levels. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Adolescent Substance Use Patterns and Risk for Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Young Adulthood

OBJECTIVE

There is strong evidence that substance use is a risk factor for suicidality. Prior studies have focused on the suicide risk associated with using individual substances, even though substance users often use more than one substance. This study investigates the association between patterns of adolescent substance use and suicidality in young adulthood.

METHOD

Participants were U.S. adolescents (n = 2,111, 58.9% female, mean age = 16.31 years) from the NEXT Generation Health Study, which followed tenth graders for 7 years (2009/2010-2016) and collected data via yearly surveys. Longitudinal latent class analysis was used to identify high school patterns of substance use, and logistic regression was used to relate these patterns to risk of suicidality in young adulthood.

RESULTS

We identified two groups of adolescents: "non-/infrequent users" (71%) and "multiple substance users" (29%). Multiple substance users had higher odds of making a suicide plan or attempt in young adulthood (odds ratio [OR] = 2.41, 95% CI [1.05, 5.53]), but not suicidal ideation (OR = 1.55, 95% CI [0.80, 2.99]), than non-/infrequent users, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and depressive symptoms. Multiple substance users with suicidal ideation were not more likely to progress to a later plan or attempt (OR = 1.41, 95% CI [0.41, 4.84]) than non-/infrequent users.

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescents who use substances in high school are at higher risk for making a suicide plan or attempt in young adulthood. Early identification of these adolescents may help inform interventions to mitigate risk for suicidal behaviors in young adulthood.

Prevalence and correlates of passive and active suicidal ideation among students entering graduate courses

OBJECTIVE

to identify the prevalence and factors associated with passive and active suicidal ideation throughout life among students entering graduate courses.

METHOD

an analytical and cross-sectional study with a sample comprised of 321 students entering graduate courses. Multiple descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed.

RESULTS

the multivariate analyses indicated that passive and active suicidal ideation were similarly more prevalent among female students belonging to minority sexual orientations who engaged in daily physical activity ≤ 30 minutes/day and were victims of psychological violence in the past 12 months. Alcohol abuse, family relationships not impaired due to the demands imposed by stricto sensu graduate studies and low self-esteem were only associated with passive suicidal ideation. In turn, recent marijuana use in the last 30 days, poor interpersonal relationships with academic peers, and engagement in professional activities concomitantly with the demands imposed by graduate studies were only associated with active suicidal ideation.

CONCLUSION

high prevalence of lifetime passive and active suicidal ideation was identified among graduate students, and similarities and differences were verified between some associated factors for both outcomes.

E-cigarettes may serve as a gateway to conventional cigarettes and other addictive drugs

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are devices that allow the user to inhale nicotine in a vapor, and are primarily marketed as a means of quitting smoking and a less harmful replacement for traditional cigarette smoking. However, further research is needed to determine if vaping nicotine via e-cigarettes can be effective. Conversely, nicotine has been considered a gateway drug to alcohol and other addictive drugs and e-cigarettes containing nicotine may have the same effects. Previous reports have shown that e-cigarette use may open the gate for the use of other drugs including conventional cigarettes, cannabis, opioids, etc. The increasing prevalence of e-cigarettes, particularly among youth and adolescents in the last decade have led to an increase in the dual use of e-cigarettes with alcohol, cannabis, and other illicit drug use like heroin and 3-4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). The advent of e-cigarettes as a device to self-administer addictive agents such as cocaine and synthetic cathinones may bring about additional adverse health effects associated with their concurrent use. This review aims to briefly describe e-cigarettes and their different generations, and their co-use with other addictive drugs as well as the use of the device as a tool to self-administer addictive drugs, such as cocaine, etc.

Coping strategies as mediating mechanisms between adolescent polysubstance use classes and adult alcohol and substance use disorders

Adolescent polysubstance use is a robust predictor of substance use in adulthood and can be exacerbated by poor coping with stress over time. We examined whether latent classes of adolescents' polysubstance use predicted alcohol use disorder and substance use disorder diagnoses in adulthood via multiple stress coping strategies. Self-reported frequency of past 3-month alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use in 792 adolescents (aged 16/17) were used to form latent classes of polysubstance use. Self-reported aggressive, reactive, substance use and cognitive coping strategies (ages 18/19, 22/23, 23/24) were examined as multiple mediators of polysubstance use classes and alcohol use disorder and substance use disorder in adulthood (age 26/27) controlling for demographic covariates. Latent class analysis resulted in High, Experimental, and Low polysubstance use classes. Those in high and experimental polysubstance use classes, compared to those in the low polysubstance use class, had greater use of aggressive and reactive coping strategies, which respectively predicted greater substance use disorder and alcohol use disorder in adulthood. Across all comparisons (high vs low, experimental vs low, and high vs experimental), higher polysubstance use was associated with greater substance use coping, which predicted both alcohol and substance use disorder. Greater polysubstance use, even experimental use, in adolescence is a significant risk factor for developing alcohol use disorder and substance use disorder in adulthood and this occurs, in part, via maladaptive stress coping strategies.

Adolescents' Psychoactive Substance Use During the First COVID-19 Lockdown: A Cross Sectional Study in Italy

Background

Italy was one of the first European countries to be affected by Covid-19. Due to the severity of the pandemic, the Italian government imposed a nationwide lockdown which had a great impact on the population, especially adolescents. Distance-learning, moving restrictions and pandemic-related concerns, resulted in a particularly stressful situation.

Objective

This cross-sectional study aims to analyse substance consumption and its associated factors during the Covid-19 lockdown imposed by the Italian government.

Methods

ESPAD is a questionnaire that is administered yearly in Italian high schools. In 2020, it was administered online during dedicated hours of distance learning, collecting data from 6027 Italian students (52.4% were male) aged 15-19. Data collected from the 2020 questionnaire was matched with that collected in 2019, in order to make them comparable.

Results

The prevalence of consumption of each substance decreased during the restriction period, and the most used substance during the lockdown period was alcohol (43.1%). There were some changes in factors associated with psychoactive substance use, especially painkillers and non-prescription drugs. For instance, unlike what was observed in the 2019 model, in 2020 spending money without parental control was associated with painkillers and non-prescription drug use while risk perception was not.

Conclusions

The restrictions and the increased difficulties in obtaining psychoactive substances did not prevent their consumption, and students with particular risk factors continued to use them, possibly changing the substance type of substance. This information is useful in order to better understand adolescents' substance use during the ongoing pandemic.

Determinants of good academic performance among university students in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Education plays a pivotal role in producing qualified human power that accelerates economic development and solves the real problems of a community. Students are also expected to spend much of their time on their education and need to graduate with good academic results. However, the trend of graduating students is not proportional to the trend of enrolled students and an increasing number of students commit readmission, suggesting that they did not perform well in their academics. Thus, the study aimed to identify the determinants of academic performance among university students in Southern Ethiopia.

METHOD

Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 1 to 28, 2020. A total of 659 students were enrolled and data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. A multistage sampling technique was applied to select study participants. Data were cleaned and entered into Epi-Data version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 25 software for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable data analysis were computed and a p-value of ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Smoking, age, and field of study were significantly associated with academic performance.

RESULT

Four hundred six (66%) of students had a good academic performance. Students aged between 20 and 24 years (AOR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.22-0.91), and medical/ health faculty (AOR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.45-4.20) were significant associates of good academic performance. Students who didn't smoke cigarettes were three times more likely to score good academic grades compared to those who smoke (AOR = 3.15, 95% CI = 1.21-7.30).

CONCLUSION

In this study, increased odds of good academic performance were observed among students reported to be non-smokers, adults, and medical/health science students. Reduction or discontinuation of smoking is of high importance for good academic achievement among these target groups. The academic environment in the class may be improved if older students are invited to share their views and particularly their ways of reasoning.

Prevention of Alcohol Consumption Programs for Children and Youth: A Narrative and Critical Review of Recent Publications

Background

Youth substance use is a public health problem globally, where alcohol is one of the drugs most consumed by children, and youth prevention is the best intervention for drug abuse.

Objective

Review the latest evidence of alcohol use prevention programs in empirical research, oriented to all fields of action among children and youth.

Methods

A narrative and critical review was carried out within international databases (PsychInfo, Pubmed, Web of Science, and Scopus) in August 2021 and was limited to empirical studies that appeared in the last five years (2017-2021). A flow diagram was used according to the PRISMA statements. Empirical research articles in English with RCTs and quasi-experimental design that included alcohol, children, and young people up to 19 years of age (universal, selective, or indicated programs) were included. The authors examined the results and conceptual frameworks of the Prevention programs by fields of action.

Results

Twenty-two articles were found from four fields of action: school (16), family (2), community (2), and web-based (2), representing 16 alcohol prevention programs. School-based alcohol prevention programs are clinically relevant [Theory of Planned Behavior, Refuse, Remove, Reasons, Preventure, The GOOD Life, Mantente REAL, Motivational Interviewing (BIMI), Primavera, Fresh Start, Bridges/Puentes], they are effective in increasing attitudes and intentions toward alcohol prevention behavior, while decreasing social norms and acceptance of alcohol, reducing intoxication, and increasing perceptions with regards to the negative consequences of drinking.

Discussion

This narrative and critical review provides an updated synthesis of the evidence for prevention programs in the school, family, community, and web-based fields of action, where a more significant number of programs exist that are applied within schools and for which would have greater clinical relevance. However, the prevention programs utilized in the other fields of action require further investigation.

Adolescent Substance Use Prevention: Long-Term Benefits of School Engagement

BACKGROUND

To determine if school engagement is a viable target for early prevention of adolescent substance use, this study investigated whether school engagement in early adolescence (ages 12-14) is a cause of alcohol and cannabis use during middle to late adolescence (ages 15-19).

METHODS

To facilitate causal inference, inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs), which are based on estimated probabilities of treatment selection (ie, school engagement), were created based on a robust set of potential confounders. Using the IPTWs, a cumulative link mixed model was fit to examine the impact of school engagement on alcohol and cannabis use among an ethnically diverse sample of adolescents (N = 360).

RESULTS

School engagement was associated with a lower level of alcohol and cannabis use from age 15 to 18. School engagement was not associated with change in alcohol and cannabis use over time, suggesting that school engagement emits its effect early in the developmental course of substance use and offers protection throughout adolescence.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports a compensatory role of early school engagement in substance use across middle and late adolescence. School engagement is a malleable factor and thus offers an avenue for prevention efforts.

Substance Use among Youth in Community and Residential Mental Health Care Facilities in Ontario, Canada

There is a need to improve the integration of substance use and mental health care for children and youth. This study examines risk and protective factors for substance use among youth with mental health conditions who received community-based or residential care services between 2012–2020 in Ontario, Canada. In this study, a cross-sectional design was used to examine patterns and factors associated with substance use among youth (12–18 years) assessed in the community (n = 47,418) and residential (n = 700) mental health care facilities in Ontario, Canada. Youth were assessed with the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health Assessment (ChYMH). Substance use is identified by any substance use (including alcohol) 14 to 30 days prior to assessment. Logistic regression with generalized estimating equations was used to examine clinical, psychosocial, and environmental factors associated with substance use. This study shows that 22.3% of youth reported the use of substances in the community settings and 37% in residential settings. Older age group (Youth older than 16 years), being a victim of abuse, having experienced self-injurious ideation/attempt, being at risk of disrupted education, and having a parent/caregiver with addiction or substance use disorder were significantly associated with substance use. Several factors reduced the risk of substance use, including being a female, having anxiety symptoms, and having cognition problems. In conclusion, the study found that individual and parental factors increase youth’s risk of substance use, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach that includes consideration of social and biological risk factors to prevention/risk reduction, risk assessment, management, and recovery.

Exploring Patterns of the Use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems among Adolescents in High-Risk Appalachian (U.S.A) Communities

Background: Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use among adolescents in the United States (U.S.) has surpassed conventional tobacco products (CTPs), including cigarettes. Increasingly, ENDS are used concurrently with CTPs and substances such as cannabis. However, few studies involve Central Appalachia, a region with historically high rates of tobacco and other substance use. Objective:  To examine prevalence of concurrent use of ENDS and cannabis among school-going adolescents in Appalachian Tennessee and delineate associations between ENDS use and substance-related risk behavior (cannabis use), social relations (peer use), and school-related risk behavior (academic performance). Methods: Data were obtained from a survey conducted with youth aged 13-17 years in 2018 in a county in Appalachian Tennessee (n = 280). A multivariable logistic regression model was fit to evaluate associations between ENDS and cannabis use, and other factors. Results: Overall, lifetime ENDS and cannabis prevalence estimates were 31.1% and 18.6%, respectively. Lifetime ENDS users had increased odds of also being lifetime cannabis users [OR = 9.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.44-24.75]. Lifetime ENDS users had increased odds of reporting ENDS use among peers [OR = 12.11; 95% CI: 5.40-27.12] and lower academic performance (OR associated with mostly C or D vs. A grades was 4.28, 95% CI: 1.68-10.90). Conclusion: This study found an association between ENDS and cannabis use among adolescents in Appalachian Tennessee exists. Additionally, peer use and academic performance were associated with ENDS use. The findings have implications for public health intervention planning to address not only ENDS but also substance use among Appalachian youth.

From Secondary School to University: Associations Between Domain-Specific Sedentary Behaviors and Lifestyle Risk Behaviors

This study examined associations between changes in domain-specific sedentary behaviors and changes in health-related lifestyles of Spanish secondary school students (n = 113) to their first year of university. During the transitions from the end of high school to the beginning of university, engagement in sedentary behaviors have emerged as potential additional behavioral risk factors. Understanding how sedentary behaviors interconnect with other (un)healthy behaviors will inform interventions on multiple risk behaviors across this critical life period. A 3-year longitudinal survey assessed associations between domain-specific sedentary behaviors and leisure time physical activity (IPAQ), alcohol and tobacco consumption, and fruit and vegetable intake (24-h dietary recall), using Generalized Estimating Equations. Spending time on sedentary transportation was associated with a greater likelihood of smoking, whereas sedentary weekend homework was associated with a reduced likelihood of consuming alcohol. The lowest and highest tertiles for sedentary screen use and leisure-time PA were also less likely not to meet the recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption. For specific sedentary behaviors, associations were gender-based or affected by leisure time physical activity. From secondary school to university, specific sedentary behaviors are linked to lifestyle risk factors. Over this transitional period, public health interventions targeting reduced sedentary behaviors may bring multiple benefits by also preventing other harmful behaviors.

Internal developmental assets and substance use among Hispanic adolescents. A cross-sectional study

AIMS

To determine the associations between internal assets (planning and decision-making, interpersonal competence and commitment to learning) and substance use (tobacco, alcohol, binge drinking, marijuana use and other drugs).

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was conducted in four countries (Chile, Mexico, Spain and Peru).

METHODS

Adolescents aged 12-18 self-completed a multi-purpose questionnaire between 2016 and 2019. Multiple logistic regressions and structural equation models were performed to analyse the association between internal assets (planning and decision-making, interpersonal competence, and commitment to learning) and substance use.

RESULTS

The results indicate that planning and decision-making and commitment to learning are conducive to the prevention of substance use. On the contrary, interpersonal competence was not associated with substance use.

CONCLUSION

The present study shows that planning and decision-making and commitment to learning can be relevant factors in explaining substance use during adolescence. Internal assets can be an important aspect to include in health promotion interventions with children, youth and families to prevent substance use. These findings may be useful for researchers, schools, paediatric nurse practitioners, and health professionals in general to design health programs focused on children and adolescents. Furthermore, the Developmental Assets framework has been proved as a suitable frame of reference for paediatric nurse practitioners to assess and develop child and adolescent positive development and design health promotion interventions to prevent substance use.

Adolescent Energy Drink Consumption and Academic Risk: Results From the Monitoring the Future Study, 2010-2016

AIMS

The current study aims to examine the role of energy drink and energy shot consumption in school disengagement, low academic performance, and academic expectations, and investigates the robustness of these associations across sex, grade, race, and substance use history.

METHOD

This study employs a pooled cross-sectional design and uses a nationally representative sample of 8th (ages 13-14 years) and 10th (ages 15-16 years) grade adolescents from seven recent cohorts (2010-2016) of the Monitoring the Future study. Logistic regression and negative binomial regression were employed to examine the association between energy drink and energy shot consumption and academic risk factors, controlling for sociodemographic factors and other health and social behaviors. Ancillary robustness checks across key subgroups in the data were also performed.

RESULTS

The results indicate that energy drink and energy shot consumers are significantly more likely to report all academic risk outcomes. Specifically, youth who heavily use energy drinks and shots have significantly higher odds of each of the academic risk outcomes relative to both less habitual users and nonusers. These patterns hold across subgroups, despite associations being somewhat stronger among females, younger participants, Whites, and youth with no substance use history.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study suggests that energy drink consumption (particularly heavy consumption) may be an early warning sign of academic risk. It may be beneficial to limit adolescent energy drink consumption, provide early intervention for heavy adolescent consumers, and raise awareness of the dangers associated with their use.

Substance use behavior among Hispanic emerging adults in Los Angeles, California

This research examined illicit drug use and substance abuse disorders among Hispanic emerging adults using a two time-point study. Hypothesized predictors included concurrent use of different types of substances in adolescence and early adulthood (illicit drug use, binge alcohol use, and cigarette-smoking), along with the socialization context (family, peer, school, and other contextual factors) in adolescence. Overall, the findings showed that emerging adults who engaged in binge use of alcohol reported higher levels of illicit drug use and substance abuse disorders. Smoking cigarettes was associated with higher levels of illicit drug use in emerging adulthood, but not substance use disorders. Illicit drug use and binge alcohol use in adolescence were linked to higher levels of illicit drug use in emerging adulthood. Further, respondents who engaged in higher levels of illicit drug use, binge drinking, and smoking in adolescence were more likely to report higher levels of substance use disorders in early adulthood, signaling the importance of assessing adolescent drug use as a critical period for curbing long-term substance use-related impairment. Sibling alcohol use, college aspirations, and perceived discrimination during adolescence were also predictive of higher levels of substance use disorders in early adulthood. Higher academic achievement in adolescence, however, was associated with lower levels of illicit drug use in emerging adulthood. Lastly, males reported higher levels of illicit drug use and substance abuse disorders than females.

Work schedule and substance abuse in vocational students

BACKGROUND

Drug abuse is one of the world's most serious and rapidly rising problems, causing a wide variety of health issues with significant morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to explore the association between part-time work and substance abuse among vocational students.

DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study that included all part-time working male students from five vocational male schools, and we used a standardized pretested questionnaire after obtaining written informed consent.  A One-Step Multi-Drug Screen Test was used to assess the substances that were abused.

RESULTS

A total of 316 out of the 400 invited students participated in our study. Of the total screened subjects, 26.6 % were abusing substances. Twenty-five (36.2%) day working adolescents, nine (14.0%) night working adolescents, and forty (36.0%) day and night working adolescents were abusers.Tobacco was the most widely abused drug (68%) in the form of smoking, followed by cannabis (24%), marijuana (16.4%), alcohol (10%), and opioid (6.3%). Night workers had significantly lower rates of smoking, cannabis, Marijuana, alcohol, or opioids abuse, and Logistic regression was performed to ascertain the effects of the work schedule on the likelihood that participants have substance abuse; Night workers were 7.14 times less likely to have substance abuse than day workers, while day and night work did not differ from day work.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of drug abuse in vocational students is considered high and a serious problem that damages the youth and the community.

Examining the relationships among adolescent health behaviours, prefrontal function, and academic achievement using fNIRS

•

Prior studies document effects of lifestyle behaviors on the brain and academics.

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Among adolescents we found that activity and eating both predict task performance.

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Activity also predicts functional activation in the right lateral dlPFC, but not grades.

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Substance use predicted worse grades but not brain-related mediators.

Several adolescent health behaviours have been hypothesized to improve academic performance via their beneficial impact on cognitive control and functional aspects of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The primary objective of this study is to examine the association between lifestyle behaviours and academic performance in a sample of adolescents, and to examine the extent to which activity within the PFC and behavioural indices of inhibition may mediate this relationship. Sixty-seven adolescents underwent two study sessions five days apart. Sleep and physical activity were measured using wrist-mounted accelerometry; eating habits, substance use and academic achievement were measured by self-report. Prefrontal function was quantified by Multi-Source Interference Task (MSIT) performance, and task-related activity via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Higher levels of physical activity predicted higher MSIT accuracy scores (β = .321, ρ = 0.019) as well as greater activation within the right dlPFC (b = .008, SE = .004, ρ = .0322). Frequency of fast-food consumption and substance use were negatively associated with MSIT accuracy scores (β = −0.307, ρ = .023) and Math grades (b = −3.702, SE = 1.563, ρ = .022), respectively. Overall, the results of this study highlight the importance of lifestyle behaviours as predictors of prefrontal function and academic achievement in youth.

Student burnout and engagement: Relationship with adolescent use of alcohol and attitudes towards authority

The burnout syndrome has been related to development of transgressive attitudes toward norms that facilitate risk behaviors in youth, such as drinking alcohol. On the contrary, academic engagement is related to positive attitudes toward authority which can slow down its use. The objective was analyze the relationships between burnout and academic engagement, attitudes toward authority and use of alcohol. Method: The sample included a total of 1,287 high school students who anonymously filled out the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students and the Scale of Attitudes toward Institutional Authority in adolescents, along with questions on drinking alcohol. Results: It was observed that cynicism had a significant effect on positive attitude toward rule-breaking, and this in turn, on frequency of drinking. The engagement dedication factor was shown to have a significant direct effect on positive attitude toward institutional authority, and this on drinking frequency. Conclusions: Promoting measures for decreasing burnout in youth and stimulating academic engagement could have repercussions on attitudes toward rules and the presence of risk behavior.

Exposure to parental and sibling smoking and future intentions to smoke among 13-15 years old school age children in Saudi Arabia

Introduction

prevalence of smoking in school children is alarming in Saudi Arabia and little is well-known about the aspects stimulating such behaviours in secondary school children. The aim of this study was to assess the association between influence of parent/sibling/peer smoking and future intentions to initiate smoke among 13-15 years old school children in Al Ras town, Saudi Arabia.

Methods

a cross sectional survey was conducted in Al Ras city during first quarter of 2019. Data was collected from 492 secondary school children who were selected through multistage stratified cluster sampling. Pretested, self-administered Arabic questionnaire was used to collect data about socio-demographic and prevalence of current smoking behaviours and associated factors. Descriptive statistics was done initially, following by binomial regression to assess the predictors of current smoking and future smoking intentions.

Results

the overall prevalence of smoking in respondents was 22.7% and statistically significant difference in smoking prevalence's between boys and girls was observed (40% vs 5.6%). Among the predictors of current smoking, smoking habits in siblings and getting pocket money over 200 Saudi riyals are found to be significant. Siblings smoking (odds ratio: 6.4) and poor academic performance (odds ratio: 3.2) were the two most important factors influencing children's intentions of smoking.

Conclusion

smoking prevalence in secondary school children of Al Ras was similar to national data. Since, influence of siblings, getting more pocket money and poor academic performance were found to important predictors of children smoking behaviours and attitudes, health education programs should address these factors to be effective.

Associations between e-health questionnaire responses, health checks and graduation: Finnish register-based study of 2011-2012 university entrants

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between health and study-related factors measured by an Electronic Health Questionnaire (eHQ), participation in a health examination process and graduation in a university student population.

DESIGN

Nationwide, retrospective, register-based cohort study with a 6-year follow-up.

SETTING

Student health care in Finland. Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) provides statutory student health services to university students in Finland. The health examination process of FSHS includes the eHQ provided annually to university entrants and a subsequent health check when necessary based on students' eHQ response.

PARTICIPANTS

A national cohort of university entrants from the 2011-2012 academic year (n=14 329, n (female)=8075, n (male)=6254).

OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome measure was graduation, measured based on whether a student had completed a bachelor's, licentiate or master's degree during the 6-year follow-up.

RESULTS

Some 72% of the women and 60% of the men had graduated during the follow-up. The predictors in the eHQ associated with non-graduation differed by sex. Among the women's low enthusiasm about studies (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.9 to 3.6), low engagement with studies (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.8 to 3.4) and daily smoking (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4 to 2.6) were the strongest predictors to non-graduation. Among the men, low engagement with studies (OR 3.7, 95% CI 2.5 to 5.5) and obesity (body mass index≥35) (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.9 to 8.8) were the strongest predictors to non-graduation. Not attending the health check when referred was associated with non-graduation in both sexes: the OR for not graduating was 1.6 (95% CI 1.3 to 1.9) in women and 1.3 (95% CI 1.0 to 1.6) in men.

CONCLUSIONS

Engagement and enthusiasm about studying in the first year are important predictors of graduation and therefore a potential intervention target. Health promotion initiatives conducted early in the studies may have a positive effect on students' academic achievement.

Family environment and school engagement:An investigation of cross-lagged effects

INTRODUCTION

Although an extensive body of work has shown that family functioning is linked to adolescent outcomes, less is known about how the family affects school outcomes and vice versa. The present longitudinal study tested reciprocal relationships between the family environment and school engagement during the middle school years.

METHODS

A cross-lagged latent model tested these effects in 378 Turkish youth (53.7% males; M = 11.73, SD = 0.53) evaluated annually (Waves 1, 2, and 3) in grades 6 through 8.

RESULTS

Findings showed the family environment positively predicted developmental changes in school engagement at each time point (β range = 0.18 to 0.24); school engagement also positively predicted developmental changes in the family environment (β range = 0.12 to 0.28). Follow-up multigroup tests by age, sex, and family structure showed that the reciprocal links between the family environment and school engagement were invariant.

CONCLUSIONS

Study findings supported reciprocal longitudinal links between developmental changes of the family environment and school engagement. They extend previous research by highlighting the continued importance of the home environment on developmental changes in academic performance in adolescents, and thus, inform parents, educators, and policymakers on the relevance of the family in promoting academic engagement and achievement in adolescence.

Individual, Family, and School Correlates across Patterns of High School Poly-substance Use

Background: Recent popularity in e-cigarette use among high school students and the legalization of marijuana across many states resulted in new patterns of poly-substance use (PSU). Objective: The purpose of this study is to understand contemporary patterns of PSU and their associations with individual social-emotional characteristics (sensation seeking, perceived harm, life satisfaction) and social-contextual factors (parental involvement, school norms, academics, and behaviors). Methods: Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify patterns of PSU among 12th-grade students (n = 8417) from the 2016 Monitoring the Future project. Multinomial logistic regression was used to understand the relationship among individual characteristics, social-contextual factors, and patterns of PSU. Results: From the LCA, three patterns of PSU were identified: (1) low-use (72.2%); (2) pre-dominantly marijuana use with some co-occurring substance use (23.8%); and (3) high PSU (4.0%). Results indicate that students with pre-dominant marijuana use were differentiated from those with PSU by having higher perceived harm of electronic and regular cigarette, heavy alcohol use, and better academic grades. Furthermore, students with both polysubstance and pre-dominant marijuana use, when compared to those with low-use, had lower life satisfaction, higher sensation seeking, lower perceived harm of substance use, poorer grades, and more disciplinary problems. Conclusion/Importance: Findings draw attention to the importance of understanding levels of life satisfaction, sensation seeking, perceived harm, academic grades, and disciplinary problems as they pertain to contemporary patterns of PSU. Schools should consider a tailored and multi-tiered approach to addressing students' substance use.