Delinquent friend groups partly explained the link between adolescent cannabis use and aggression
In a longitudinal study of 850 teens followed into early adulthood, affiliation with delinquent peers partially mediated the relationship between cannabis use and both aggressive and rule-breaking behaviors.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Both cannabis use and delinquent peer affiliation were independently associated with aggression in GEE models. Cross-lagged panel models showed that delinquent peers partially mediated the cannabis-aggression link over time, and similar patterns emerged for rule-breaking behaviors. Cannabis use predicted broader conduct problems, not just aggression.
Key Numbers
850 ninth graders followed from mid-adolescence to early adulthood. Both cannabis use and delinquent peers statistically associated with aggressive behaviors. Delinquent peers served as partial mediator in cross-lagged models. Similar patterns found for rule-breaking behaviors and alcohol use.
How They Did This
Longitudinal study of 850 ninth graders followed from mid-adolescence to early adulthood. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) and Cross-Lagged Panel Models used to examine mediation by delinquent peer affiliation and temporal directionality.
Why This Research Matters
The cannabis-violence debate often overlooks social context. This study shows that who adolescents spend time with partly explains the connection between cannabis use and aggression, suggesting interventions should address peer networks alongside substance use.
The Bigger Picture
If delinquent peer affiliation is a key pathway through which cannabis use connects to violence, prevention programs that focus solely on substance use may miss the social dynamics driving both drug use and aggression in adolescence.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-reported data. Partial mediation means delinquent peers do not fully explain the cannabis-aggression link. Cannot rule out shared underlying factors driving all three variables. Sample demographics not specified in abstract.
Questions This Raises
- ?What portion of the cannabis-aggression link remains after accounting for peer influence?
- ?Do interventions targeting peer networks reduce both cannabis use and aggression?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Delinquent peers partially mediated cannabis-aggression link
- Evidence Grade:
- Longitudinal design with appropriate mediation analysis, though self-report and unmeasured confounders limit causal conclusions.
- Study Age:
- 2024 study
- Original Title:
- The company you keep: The neglected role of affiliating with delinquent friends in the development of the cannabis-violence link.
- Published In:
- Addictive behaviors, 151, 107939 (2024)
- Authors:
- Dugré, Jules R, Giguère, Charles-Édouard, Potvin, Stéphane(5)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05283
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis directly cause aggression?
This study suggests the relationship is more complex. Delinquent peer affiliation partially explains the link, meaning social context plays a significant role alongside any direct substance effects.
What is a cross-lagged panel model?
A statistical method that examines how variables predict each other over time. It helps determine whether cannabis use leads to delinquent friends, delinquent friends lead to cannabis use, or both influence each other.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05283APA
Dugré, Jules R; Giguère, Charles-Édouard; Potvin, Stéphane. (2024). The company you keep: The neglected role of affiliating with delinquent friends in the development of the cannabis-violence link.. Addictive behaviors, 151, 107939. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107939
MLA
Dugré, Jules R, et al. "The company you keep: The neglected role of affiliating with delinquent friends in the development of the cannabis-violence link.." Addictive behaviors, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107939
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "The company you keep: The neglected role of affiliating with..." RTHC-05283. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/dugre-2024-the-company-you-keep
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.