DRUG-USE, AGENCY, AND COMMUNALITY - CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES AMONG ADULTS

Certain causes and consequences of drug use may be unique to young adu lts and might involve gender-role expectations that women are most dir ected toward communality issues, whereas men are concerned with agenti c tasks. Failure in these gender-specific tasks would lead to an incre ase in future drug use and earlier drug use would hinder the developme nt of these skills for men and women. Analyses were conducted with str uctural equation models incorporating repeatedly measured constructs o f polydrug use, communality, and agency. Results generally supported t hese expectations when both specific and general effects were consider ed. In addition, women's drug use also interfered with their agentic g oals and men's drug use damaged their communal relationships.