Changes in Substance use during the Transition to Adulthood: A Comparison of College Students and Their Noncollege Age Peers

TLDR

The study investigates how alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use and related problems change from late adolescence to young adulthood, comparing college students with noncollege peers to assess unique college effects. Prospective data were collected from a community sample at ages 18, 21, and 30. Results show that nonstudents consistently report higher cigarette and marijuana use and greater substance‑related problems, while college status is linked to lower problems at 18, steeper increases to 21, and steeper decreases to 30, indicating that nonstudents may be a more critical target for prevention.

Abstract

This study examines transitions in alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use and alcohol- and marijuana-related problems from late adolescence through young adulthood. Men and women who attend college are compared to their peers who do not to determine if the situational/socialization effects of college are unique during this developmental period. Prospective data from a community sample were collected at ages 18, 21, and 30 years. ANOVAs revealed that 18 year olds who transition out of high school, regardless of college status, reported higher levels of substance use than their peers who were still in high school. In addition, nonstudents compared to college students reported higher levels of cigarette and marijuana use in adolescence, emerging adulthood, and young adulthood and higher levels of alcohol- and marijuana-related problems in adolescence and young adulthood. Latent growth curve analyses revealed that college status was related to lower levels of alcohol and marijuana problems at age 18, greater increases from ages 18 to 21, and greater decreases from ages 21 to 30 even after controlling for level and growth in use. Overall, the findings suggest that nonstudents may be a more important target group than college students for drug use prevention efforts during emerging adulthood.