title: Trajectories of adolescent substance use development and the influence of healthy leisure: A growth mixture modeling approach.
abstract: Considerable heterogeneity exists in adolescent substance use development. To most effectively prevent use, distinct trajectories of use must be identified as well as differential associations with predictors of use, such as leisure experience. The current study used a person-centered approach to identify distinct substance use trajectories and how leisure is associated with trajectory classes. Data came from a larger efficacy trial of 2.249 South African high school students who reported substance use at any time across 8 waves. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify developmental trajectories of substance use and the influence of healthy leisure. Results identified three increasing and one stable substance use trajectory and subjective healthy leisure served to protect against use. This study is the first of its kind to focus on a sample of South African adolescents and serves to develop a richer understanding of substance use development and the role of healthy leisure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development, Washington State University, 512 Johnson Tower, Pullman, WA, 99164-4852, USA. Electronic address: elizabeth.weybright@wsu.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Weybright
authors.affiliation: Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management, The Pennsylvania State University, 801 Donald H Ford Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA. Electronic address: lindac@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Linda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Caldwell
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, 417 BBH Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA. Electronic address: nur5@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Nilam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.affiliation: Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center for the Promotion of Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, 302 BBH Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA. Electronic address: eas8@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Edward A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, South Africa. Electronic address: lwegner@uwc.ac.za.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wegner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012307:Risk Factors; D013019:South Africa; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Adolescence; Growth mixture modeling; Leisure; South Africa; Substance use