title: Alcohol and cannabis abuse/dependence symptoms and life satisfaction in young adulthood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the associations between substance abuse/dependence symptoms and life satisfaction, before and after adjustment for fixed and time-dynamic sources of confounding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from a 30year longitudinal study of a birth cohort of 987 individuals. Associations between alcohol abuse/dependence symptoms, cannabis abuse/dependence symptoms and life satisfaction were examined using repeated measures regression models. Associations were adjusted for fixed and time-dynamic sources of confounding, including family background, personality, demographics, recent life events, current employment and recent mental illness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant associations between alcohol abuse/dependence and life satisfaction (P<0.0001) and between cannabis abuse/dependence and life satisfaction (P<0.0001). These significant associations remained after adjustment for fixed sources of confounding. However, adjusting for time-dynamic sources of confounding substantially reduced the associations. After adjustment for time-dynamic sources of confounding there were no significant associations between alcohol abuse/dependence and life satisfaction (P>0.17) or cannabis abuse/dependence and life satisfaction (P>0.25).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that associations between life substance abuse/dependence and life satisfaction can be explained by time-dynamic factors, such as employment, life events and comorbid mental illness that are associated with reduced life satisfaction. When due allowance is made for confounding, alcohol and cannabis abuse/dependence are not associated with reduced life satisfaction.
authors: Department of Psychological Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. nicola.swain@otago.ac.nz
authors: Nicola R
authors: NR
authors: Swain
authors: Sheree J
authors: SJ
authors: Gibb
authors: L John
authors: LJ
authors: Horwood
authors: David M
authors: DM
authors: Fergusson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012307:Risk Factors