Exploring Childhood, Family, and Social Factors that Predict Substance Use Risk-Taking among Transition-Aged Youth: Informing Prevention Recommendations

Academic Partner | Jacinda Dariotis
Community Partner | Rosecrance: Mental Health, Addition, and Residential Treatment

Project Description
Substance use is highest among transition-aged youth (ages 18-24). It is associated with other types of risk outcomes like sexual behaviors, violence, and delinquency. Numerous factors predict substance use and other risk-taking behaviors: early life experiences (e.g., childhood trauma), family of origin characteristics personality, attitudes and intentions, and physiology (e.g., stress and androgen hormones) among other variables. This project will explore these factors individually and in combination to move toward a more holistic understanding of substance use among transition-aged youth. Secondary data will be used including longitudinal survey data, text messaging data, salivary hormone data, behavioral task data, and urine tests (for substances). In partnership with Rosecrance, research questions will be refined and findings will be interpreted with a lens toward recommendations that can help youth and families and community agencies working with transition-aged youth.        

Role of the Scholar
Two Community-Academic Scholars will work with the principal investigator and Rosecrance to develop and refine research questions and to develop a data analysis plan. The scholar will assist with data cleaning, data analysis syntax creation, and working with the community partner to ensure interpretation of findings is accurate, relevant, and meaningful. Recommendations will be collectively developed to address youth, family, and community needs. Through this project, scholars will gain skills in working with community partners, familiarity with statistics and software, data analysis, ad recommendation development.