Introduction: Early substance use initiation is linked to higher risks of addiction and psychosocial issues in adulthood, making adolescent prevention efforts crucial. Although adolescence is a high-risk period for initiation, research shows that initiation likelihood varies by age, racial/ethnic group, and other factors. This study examined age patterns and peer influence on alcohol and cannabis initiation across eight monoracial and biracial groups while accounting for racial/ethnic and sex differences. Methods: We used an integrated data analysis (IDA) approach with two nationally representative longitudinal datasets: Add Health (n = 15,844) and Monitoring the Future (MTF; n = 9,600). Discrete-time survival analysis within logistic regression estimated the probability (hazard) of alcohol and cannabis initiation during adolescence (from age 12 to 18) by a quadratic function of age, racial group, sex, and peer substance use, controlling for family structure, mother’s education, and data source. Results: Alcohol and cannabis initiation probabilities increased by age, peaking first around ages 15–16 and again at age 18. Initiation patterns varied by racial group. Notably, the peak initiation probabilities among biracial adolescents were larger than their monoracial peers. Biracial youth were more susceptible to peer influence for cannabis initiation than monoracial youth. Conclusion: Our findings address a critical gap in understanding substance initiation among biracial youth, revealing higher initiation risks compared to their monoracial peers and distinct patterns across biracial groups. Our findings also underscore the need for early, targeted prevention efforts that mitigate peer influence and account for age and racial group differences in initiation patterns.

Authors:
Trenette Clark Goings, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
Ai Bo, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, United States
Alejandro Martinez, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Trenette Clark Goings is the Sandra Reeves Spears and John B. Turner Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on youth substance use prevention.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/trenette-clark-goings-05275036/

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Trenette-Clark

Additional website of interest
https://www.trenetteclarkgoings.com

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