title: Developmental trajectories of marijuana use from adolescence to adulthood: personal predictors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between early adolescent personal characteristics and the developmental trajectories of marijuana use extending from early adolescence to adulthood.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used a longitudinal design. Data were obtained using structured questionnaires administered by trained interviewers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interviews were conducted in the participants' homes in upstate New York.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were drawn from a randomly selected cohort and were studied prospectively since 1975 (T1) at a mean age of 6 years. The follow-up data used for this study were collected at 6 time points when the participants were aged between 14 and 37 years in 1983 (T2), 1985-1986 (T3), 1992 (T4), 1997 (T5), 2002 (T6), and 2005-2006 (T7).
  
  
  METHODS
  Developmental trajectories of marijuana use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Semiparametric group-based modeling and logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the data. The following 5 distinct trajectories of marijuana use were identified: nonusers or experimenters, occasional users, quitters or decreasers, increasing users, and chronic users. Chronic users compared with other groups studied (nonusers or experimenters, occasional users, quitters or decreasers, and increasing users) reported low self-control, externalizing behavior, and an orientation to sensation seeking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Personal attributes of low self-control, externalizing behavior, and an orientation to sensation seeking have long-term predictive power for distinct trajectories of marijuana use over time. The importance of these findings for prevention and treatment programs is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, NY 10016, USA. judith.brook@nyumc.org
authors.forename: Judith S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Brook
authors.forename: Chenshu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Brook
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009519:New York City; D010379:Peer Group; D010553:Personality Development; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult