title: Good self-control as a buffering agent for adolescent substance use: an investigation in early adolescence with time-varying covariates.
abstract: This study tested the prediction that self-control would have buffering effects for adolescent substance use (tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana) with regard to 3 risk factors: family life events, adolescent life events, and peer substance use. Participants were a sample of public school students (N = 1,767) who were surveyed at 4 yearly intervals between 6th grade and 9th grade. Good self-control was assessed with multiple indicators (e.g., planning and problem solving). Results showed that the impact of all 3 risk factors on substance use was reduced among persons with higher scores on good self-control. Buffering was found in cross-sectional analyses with multiple regression and in longitudinal analyses in a latent growth model with time-varying covariates. Implications for addressing self-control in prevention programs are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. wills@aecom.yu.edu
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Wills
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ainette
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stoolmiller
authors.forename: Frederick X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.forename: Ori
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Shinar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D011340:Problem Solving; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012932:Social Facilitation