LONGITUDINALLY PREDICTING LATE ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG-ADULT DRUG-USE - CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENT PRECURSORS

Objective: To examine the childhood and adolescent personality determi nants of young adult drug use. Method: Data were obtained on children when they were approximately 5.5 (time 1; T-1), 14 (T-2), 16 (T-3), an d 22 (T-4) years of age. T-2-T-4 interviews of subjects and their moth ers assessed child personality and behavior. At T-1, 976 mothers were interviewed. The analysis was based on 734 subjects. Results: Specific childhood and adolescent personality traits are related to stage of d rug use in young adulthood. Regressions showed that (1) traits at T-2 and T-3 mediated the effect of traits at earlier ages on T-4 drug use and (2) stage of drug use was stable from T-3 to T-4 despite controlli ng for personality. Significant interaction revealed two buffers weake ning the effect of T-3 drug use on T-4 drug Use. Many more T-1-T-3 per sonality traits, particularly low aggression, enhanced the effect of l ow T-3 use On T-4 use, Conclusions: Earlier findings that childhood pe rsonality is related to adolescent personality and then to drug use we re extended to young adulthood. This mediational model indicates the s tability of personality across development. Despite this stability, ot her results suggest ways to modify drug use.