Hee-Soon Juon, PhD¹, Margaret E. Ensminger, PhD¹, Kate Fothergill¹, and Judith Robertson². (1) Dept. of Health Policy & Management, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene, 624 N. Broadway, 7th floor, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-614-5410, hjuon@jhsph.edu, (2) Health Policy & Managemnet, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, 6th floor, Baltimore, MD 21205

This study examined pathways of early adversity and persistent poverty to later substance use in an African American cohort followed prospectively from first grade to age 32. Our conceptual framework is based on the stress process paradigm which specifies the roles and interrelationships among stressors, stress mediators, and substance use outcome. In the proposed study, stressors are defined as childhood and adolescent adversity and enduring poverty. We also examine the role of adolescent social bonds as mediating variables related to substance use. Results indicated that poverty and adversity were stable over time and influenced adult drug use. The structural model with standard effects revealed direct effects of persistent poverty and adolescent drug use for both males and females. Adversity in adolescence has direct effects on adult drug use for females and indirect effects on adult drug use through adolescent drug use for males. Adversity in adolescence related to weaker school bonds and parental supervision. Poverty during adolescence was negatively related to adolescent drug use for males and adult drug use for females. For both males and females, adolescent school bonds and parental supervision concerning drug rules have indirect effects on adult drug use through adolescent drug use. Findings support a stress process paradigm. Prevention practice that promote social bonds in adolescence can play in important role in future substance use or problems.

Learning Objectives:

• To examine the relationship of childhood adversity to young adult substance use; To assess the mediating role of adolescent social bonds between adversity and substance use; To understand the stress paradigm among African Americans

Keywords: African American, Substance Abuse

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.