Tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use among first-year U.S. college students: a time series analysis.
The present study sought to evaluate the day-to-day patterns of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use among first-year college students in the United States. Using 210 days of weekly time-line follow-back diary data collected in 2002 to 2003, the authors examined within-person patterns of use. The sample was 48% female and 90% Caucasian. Sixty-eight percent of the participants were permanent residents of Indiana. Univariate time series analysis was employed to evaluate behavioral trends for each substance across the academic year and to determine the predictive value of day-to-day substance use. Some of the most common trends included higher levels of substance use at the beginning or end of the academic year. Use on any given day could be predicted best from the amount of corresponding substance use 1 day prior.


CONCLUSIONS
Although universal intervention might best be focused in the earliest weeks on campus and at the end of the year when substance use is at its highest, the diversity of substance use trajectories suggests the need for more targeted approaches to intervention. Study limitations are noted.
Dierker
Lisa
L
Wesleyan University, Department of Psychology, Middletown, Connecticut 06459, USA. ldierker@wesleyan.edu
Stolar
Marilyn
M
Lloyd-Richardson
Elizabeth
E
Tiffany
Stephen
S
Flay
Brian
B
Collins
Linda
L
Nichter
Mimi
M
Nichter
Mark
M
Bailey
Steffani
S
Clayton
Richard
R
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007196:Indiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data