Judith S. Brook

A Longitudinal Investigation of Social Causation and Social Selection Processes Involved in the Association Between Socioeconomic Status and Psychiatric Disorders

Social causation theory and social selection theory have been put forth to explain the finding that low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with risk for psychiatric disorders. The predictions of both theories were investigated using data from a community-based longitudinal study. Psychosocial interviews were administered to 736 families from 2 counties in New York State in 1975, 1983, 1985-1986, and 1991-1993. Results indicated that (a) low family SES was associated with risk for offspring anxiety, depressive, disruptive, and personality disorders after offspring IQ and parental psychopathology were controlled, and (b) offspring disruptive and substance use disorders were associated with risk for poor educational attainment after offspring IQ and parental psychopathology were controlled. These findings indicate that social causation and social selection processes vary in importance among different categories of psychiatric disorders.

Age-related change in personality disorder trait levels between early adolescence and adulthood: a community-based longitudinal investigation.

Objective: To investigate change in personality disorder (PD) traits between early adolescence and early adulthood among individuals in the community.

Tobacco Use and Health in Young Adulthood.

In this prospective longitudinal study, the authors investigated the association between lifetime tobacco use and subsequent health problems by age 30. The authors interviewed a community group of 749 participants from upstate New York at mean ages of 14, 16, 22, and 27 years. Daily tobacco use during any of the time periods, as well as the number of periods of daily tobacco use, were significantly associated with increased risk for respiratory ailments, neurobehavioral and cognitive problems, and general malaise. The results suggested that daily tobacco use, either during childhood, adolescence, the early 20s, or a combination of those times, predicted health problems by age 30. Effective smoking prevention programs that begin in childhood are imperative to prevent the occurrence of later health problems.

Tobacco use as a predictor of illicit drug use and drug-related problems in Colombian youth

PURPOSE To examine the extent to which personality and peer factors mediate the relationship between early cigarette use and later illicit drug use, as well as associated drug use problems, in a population of Colombian adolescents. METHODS A longitudinal study (2-year interval), using face-to-face structured interviews was begun in 1996 using a community-based sample, randomly selected from census data in three cities in Colombia, South America. The participants were 2837 adolescents with a mean age of 15.0 (SD +/- 1.6) years at time 1 (T1). Males comprised 52% of the sample and 65% resided with two parents. Approximately 78% (N = 2226) completed the second structured interview 2 years later (T2). The main outcome measures were marijuana use, other illicit drug use, and associated drug use problems at T2. Three series of logistic regressions were conducted. RESULTS The odds of marijuana use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.64-2.01; confidence interval [CI]: 1.11-2.94), other illicit drug use (AOR = 1.77-2.49; CI: 1.03-4.19), and associated drug use problems (AOR = 2.25-3.47; CI: 1.45-5.26) at T2, was increased two- to three-fold among adolescents reporting cigarette use at T1, with control on the demographic, personality, and peer factors, as well as T1 drug use variables. CONCLUSIONS Earlier adolescent cigarette smoking was directly associated with later marijuana use, other illicit drug use, and problems with drug use.

Coercion and punishment in long-term perspectives: The reciprocal influence of punishment and child behavior disorder

The association between punishment and conduct problems has been the subject of numerous investigations over the past two decades (Farrington, 1978; Hawkins, Catalano, & Miller, 1992; Holmes & Robins, 1988; McCord, 1979; Tremblay et al., 1991). That punishment is related to conduct problems is now beyond question. Hawkins, Catalano, and Miller (1992) have reviewed findings from several cross-sectional and prospective studies showing a relationship between punishment and conduct problems. Intervention studies have also indicated that children benefit from appropriate parental discipline (Hawkins, Catalano, Jones, & Fine, 1987; Patterson, 1982; Tremblay et al., 1991; Wahler & Dumas, 1987). Despite the fact that studies have varied with regard to assessment of punishment and conduct problems and in sample composition, the findings converge in the conclusion that youngsters who are exposed to punishment have higher rates of delinquency. What accounts for the linkages between punishment and conduct problems? The effect may be causal in that parental punishment converts preexisting tendencies into later delinquency. According to this hypothesis, conduct problems and antisocial behavior are, in part, consequences of inadequate discipline. This could come about in several different ways. Several notable theorists (e.g., Hirschi, 1969) concur that difficulties in rearing interfere with the development of attachments that would insulate the adolescent from conduct problems. Another mechanism for a causal effect of punishment is through the modeling of coercive and aggressive behavior that (inadvertently) teaches children the very behavior it is designed to suppress.

The Etiology and Consequences of Adolescent Drug Use

This chapter focuses on the etiology and consequences of drug use from an interactional perspective. In the first part of the chapter, the interrelation of risk and protective factors as they affect adolescent drug use is discussed. Next, the childhood factors relating to adolescent drug use are discussed. The third part of the chapter addresses issues pertaining to the consequences of drug use. The chapter highlights recent advances in these areas and promising extensions in current research, prevention, and treatment.