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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Mian B. Hossain, PhD¹, Kim Lisbeth Dobson Sydnor, PhD², and Laurencia S. Hutton, MPH¹. (1) Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Policy, 343 Jenkins Hall, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251, 443-885-4132, mbhossain@moac.morgan.edu, (2) Morgan State University, 1700 East Coldspring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251

Background: Family and socioeconomic characteristics have simultaneous and long-term effects on psychological well-being of young adults. High levels of poverty, income inequality and discrimination contribute to high and constant levels of psychological distress among young adults. In addition, teenagers who use ATOD and display problem behaviors are associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Exposure to ATOD use and violence leads to greater psychological distress. Experiencing depression prior to adulthood is a major risk factor for experiencing adult depression. Purpose: the purpose of this research is to assess: (1) whether parental socioeconomic and family characteristics directly affect the psychological well-being of young adults, and (2) whether ATOD use and psychological well-being of adolescents directly affect psychological well-being of young adults. Data and Methods: The data for this research is taken from National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) restricted-use for the Wave I (1994-1995) and Wave III (2001-2002). Using several indicators of psychological well-being, factor scores of psychological well-being for adolescents (Wave I) and for young adults (Wave III) are generated. In addition to uni-variate and bi-variate analysis, multilevel models with latent variables are used to assess the affects of ATOD use and psychological well-being in adolescents on the psychological well-being of young adults. Results: Results show that psychological well-being in adolescence significantly predicts psychological well-being in young adulthood. Engaging in ATOD use behavior during adolescence has significant effect on psychological well-being in young adulthood, even after controlling for the effect of psychological well-being in adolescents.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, each participant in this session will be able to

• Understand the level of ATOD use behavior and psychological well-being among adolescents and the level of psychological well-being in young adulthood.
• Understand the mechanism how ATOD use behavior and psychological well-being during adolescents relates with the psychological well-being in young adulthood.
• Understand the mediating effect of parental influence on the relationship between ATOD use behavior and psychological well-being during adolescents and the psychological well-being in young adults.

Keywords: Psychological Indicators, Drug Use

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered