First-Grade Behavior Problems Predict Marijuana Use Transitions in African American Teens
Children with attention and concentration problems in first grade were more likely to transition to marijuana use and problems by seventh grade, while those with externalizing behavior were more likely to encounter opportunities to use.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers tracked 458 low-income, urban African American children from first grade through early high school to see how early academic and behavior problems related to later marijuana use.
Two behavior problem classes emerged at school entry: externalizing (acting out) and attention/concentration difficulties. Academic problems co-occurred with both but were more strongly linked to attention/concentration issues.
Children with attention/concentration problems were more likely to transition from no marijuana involvement to actual use and problems starting in seventh grade. Children with externalizing behavior were more likely to transition from no involvement to having an opportunity to use during the high school transition.
This suggests that different behavior profiles lead to marijuana involvement through different pathways.
Key Numbers
458 participants; two behavior problem classes at school entry; attention/concentration problems predicted use and problems by 7th grade; externalizing behavior predicted opportunity exposure in high school transition
How They Did This
Longitudinal study of 458 low-income, urban African American children using latent class and latent transition analyses. Behavior and academic problems assessed in first grade. Marijuana use transitions tracked from middle school through early high school.
Why This Research Matters
This study showed that risk for marijuana involvement begins before children even encounter the drug. Early academic and behavioral screening could identify children who need targeted prevention during critical transition periods.
The Bigger Picture
Prevention that waits until drug exposure has already occurred may be too late. Addressing academic and behavioral problems in elementary school could reduce marijuana involvement years later, particularly for low-income minority youth.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single urban community in one geographic area. Low-income African American sample may not generalize to other populations. Self-reported marijuana use in adolescents may be unreliable. Attrition over the lengthy follow-up period.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would early intervention for attention problems in first grade reduce later marijuana use?
- ?Are these pathways specific to marijuana or do they apply to other substances?
- ?Do protective factors at the school transition points moderate these risks?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Attention problems in first grade predicted marijuana use by seventh grade
- Evidence Grade:
- Longitudinal design tracking children over several years with sophisticated statistical modeling, though limited to one community sample.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2015. Early childhood intervention research for substance use prevention has continued to develop.
- Original Title:
- Influences of behavior and academic problems at school entry on marijuana use transitions during adolescence in an African-American sample.
- Published In:
- Addictive behaviors, 41, 51-7 (2015)
- Authors:
- Reboussin, Beth A(4), Ialongo, Nicholas S(2), Green, Kerry M
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01049
Evidence Hierarchy
Follows a group of people over time to track how outcomes develop.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can you predict marijuana use from first-grade behavior?
This study found that attention/concentration problems in first grade were associated with transitioning to marijuana use by seventh grade. It does not mean every child with attention problems will use marijuana, but it identifies a population at elevated risk.
Why did different problem types lead to different pathways?
Children with attention problems may have been more impulsive in responding to opportunities, transitioning directly to use. Children with externalizing behavior may have been more socially connected to drug-using peers, increasing their exposure to opportunities.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01049APA
Reboussin, Beth A; Ialongo, Nicholas S; Green, Kerry M. (2015). Influences of behavior and academic problems at school entry on marijuana use transitions during adolescence in an African-American sample.. Addictive behaviors, 41, 51-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.09.030
MLA
Reboussin, Beth A, et al. "Influences of behavior and academic problems at school entry on marijuana use transitions during adolescence in an African-American sample.." Addictive behaviors, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.09.030
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Influences of behavior and academic problems at school entry..." RTHC-01049. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/reboussin-2015-influences-of-behavior-and
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.