PARENT SUBSTANCE USE AS A PREDICTOR OF ADOLESCENT USE - A 6-YEAR LAGGED ANALYSIS

The present study investigated the role of parental use of alcohol, ci garettes, and marijuana on lagged changes in the specific substance us e of their adolescent offspring over a six-year period. The analyses a lso examined the relative influence of mothers and fathers and their i nteraction as moderated by marital status and age and gender of the ad olescent. A generalized estimating equations approach, analogous to qu asi-likelihood, was employed to estimate regression coefficients via a n iterative weighted least squares algorithm. Findings indicated that, when employed as time-varying covariates, parental substance use resu lted in substance-specific effects on fluctuations in the adolescent's own use. Age, parent marital status, and each parent's marijuana use independently were found to significantly affect adolescent marijuana use. In contrast, the complex relationship between parent and adolesce nt use of alcohol and cigarettes showed variation by substance, age, a nd gender of both parents and adolescents. Within a developmental cont ext, the results suggest that parent use of substances must be conside red risk factors with particular effects on their younger offspring. T hus, prevention efforts should be directed at middle childhood and inc lude components aimed at parents as well their children.