Reasons for quitting among emerging adults and adolescents in substance-use-disorder treatment.
OBJECTIVE
Understanding developmental differences in reasons for quitting substance use may assist clinicians in tailoring treatments to different clinical populations. This study investigates whether alcohol-disordered and problem-drinking emerging adults (i.e., ages 18-25 years) have different reasons for quitting than younger adolescents (i.e., ages 13-17 years).


METHODS
Using a large clinical sample of emerging adults and adolescents, we compared endorsement rates for 26 separate reasons for quitting between emerging adults and adolescents who were matched on clinical severity. Then age group was regressed on total, interpersonal, and personal reasons for quitting, and mediation tests were conducted with variables proposed to be developmentally salient to emerging adults.


RESULTS
Among both age groups, self-control reasons were the most highly endorsed. Emerging adults had significantly fewer interpersonal reasons for quitting (Cohen's d = 0.20), and this association was partially mediated by days of being in trouble with one's family. There were no differences in personal reasons or total number of reasons for quitting.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings are consistent with developmental theory suggesting that emerging adults experience less social control, which here leads to less interpersonal motivation to refrain from alcohol and drug use. As emerging adults in clinical samples may indicate few interpersonal reasons for quitting, one challenge to tailoring treatments for them will be identifying innovative ways of leveraging social supports and altering existing social networks.
Smith
Douglas C
DC
School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, MC-082, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA. smithdc@uiuc.edu
Cleeland
Leah
L
Dennis
Michael L
ML
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D012944:Social Support; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
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