W Alex Mason1, Amy L Stevens1, Charles B Fleming2. 1. Boys Town Child and Family Translational Research Center, Boys Town, NE, USA. 2. Center for the Study of Health and Risk Behaviors, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Alcohol use and marijuana use tend to be social activities among adolescents. Some youth use alcohol or marijuana while alone. This article provides a framework for examining the risk factors for and consequences of solitary alcohol and marijuana use, grounded in a motivational model that emphasizes coping with negative emotions, and provides the first systematic review of research on solitary alcohol and marijuana use among middle school- and high school-aged adolescents in the United States. METHODS: PubMed, PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched. Articles were included if they mention solitary alcohol or marijuana (or illicit drug) use among adolescents aged 12-18 years. Studies on non-human animals, college students, non-English language publications and articles exclusively about solitary tobacco or inhalant use were excluded. Overall, 22 articles were selected. RESULTS: Prevalence of adolescent solitary alcohol and marijuana use was relatively high (e.g. 14% life-time solitary drinking in the general adolescent population), particularly in high-risk subgroups (e.g. 38.8% life-time solitary drinking in a sample of youth recruited from clinical and community settings). Risk factors for solitary alcohol and marijuana use include earlier onset and heavier use, coping motives, negative emotions and positive expectancies about use. Solitary alcohol and marijuana use are prospectively associated with later substance use disorder (SUD) symptoms, diminished academic performance and perceived health. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 1 in 7 adolescents in the US appear to have engaged in solitary alcohol and marijuana use at some point. It is positively associated with extent of drinking and marijuana use, cop;ing motives, negative emotions, and positive expectancies, as well as subsequent SUD symptoms and poor academic and health-related outcomes.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Alcohol use and marijuana use tend to be social activities among adolescents. Some youth use alcohol or marijuana while alone. This article provides a framework for examining the risk factors for and consequences of solitary alcohol and marijuana use, grounded in a motivational model that emphasizes coping with negative emotions, and provides the first systematic review of research on solitary alcohol and marijuana use among middle school- and high school-aged adolescents in the United States. METHODS: PubMed, PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched. Articles were included if they mention solitary alcohol or marijuana (or illicit drug) use among adolescents aged 12-18 years. Studies on non-human animals, college students, non-English language publications and articles exclusively about solitary tobacco or inhalant use were excluded. Overall, 22 articles were selected. RESULTS: Prevalence of adolescent solitary alcohol and marijuana use was relatively high (e.g. 14% life-time solitary drinking in the general adolescent population), particularly in high-risk subgroups (e.g. 38.8% life-time solitary drinking in a sample of youth recruited from clinical and community settings). Risk factors for solitary alcohol and marijuana use include earlier onset and heavier use, coping motives, negative emotions and positive expectancies about use. Solitary alcohol and marijuana use are prospectively associated with later substance use disorder (SUD) symptoms, diminished academic performance and perceived health. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 1 in 7 adolescents in the US appear to have engaged in solitary alcohol and marijuana use at some point. It is positively associated with extent of drinking and marijuana use, cop;ing motives, negative emotions, and positive expectancies, as well as subsequent SUD symptoms and poor academic and health-related outcomes.
Authors: Michael S Dunbar; Rachana Seelam; Joan S Tucker; Caislin L Firth; Eric R Pedersen; David J Klein; Anthony Rodriguez; Elizabeth J D'Amico Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2021-11-20 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: Sarah L Withey; Brian D Kangas; Sophia Charles; Andrew B Gumbert; Jessica E Eisold; Susan R George; Jack Bergman; Bertha K Madras Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2021-02-17 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Elise Garrison; Conor Gilligan; Benjamin O Ladd; Kristen G Anderson Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-05-04 Impact factor: 3.390