Citation

Doherty EE, Robertson JA, Green KM, Fothergill KE, Ensminger ME. Addiction 2012; 107(2): 339-348.

Affiliation

Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of Behavioral and Community Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03665.x

PMID

21939463

PMCID

PMC3260383

Abstract

Aims:  This article examines the effects of experiencing violent victimization in young adulthood on pathways of substance use from adolescence to mid-adulthood. Design:  Data come from four assessments of an African American community cohort followed longitudinally from age 6 to 42. Setting:  The cohort lived in the urban, disadvantaged Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago in 1966. Participants:  All first graders from the public and parochial schools were asked to participate (N = 1,242). Measurement:  Dependent variables - alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine use - came from self reports at age 42. Young adult violent victimization was reported at age 32, as were acts of violence, substance use, social integration, and socioeconomic resources. First grade risk factors came from mothers' and teachers' reports; adolescent substance use was self reported. Findings:  Structural equation models indicate a pathway from adolescent substance use to young adult violent victimization for females and those who did not grow up in extreme poverty (betas ranging from .15 to .20, p < .05). In turn, experiencing violent victimization in young adulthood increased alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine use yet results varied by gender and early poverty status (betas ranging from .12 to .15, p < .05). Conclusions:  Violent victimization appears to play an important role in perpetuating substance use among the African American population. However, within-group variations are evident, identifying those who are not raised in extreme poverty as the most negatively affected by violence.

Language: en