Michael Windle

Reassessing the Dimensions of Temperamental Individuality Across the Life Span:The Revised Dimensions of Temperament Survey (DOTS-R):

The principal objective of this research was to identify age-continuous features of temperament, across an age span from early childhood to late adolescence/early adulthood through the construction of a new temperament measure, the Revised Dimensions of Temperament Survey (DOTS-R). Limitations of an extant temperament measure, the Dimensions of Temperament Survey (DOTS), were considered in the present scale construction research. A temperament questionnaire composed of an initial pool of 106 items was administered to three different samples-preschoolers, elementary school children, and late adolescents/early adults. The analyses included interrater agreement for content validity of items, item-total scale analyses, factor analyses, and the determination of internal consistency estimates of temperament dimensions for each sample. A nine factor model of temperament emerged for the preschool and elementary school samples, whereas a ten factor model emerged for the late adolescent/early adult sample. Supporting the factorial validity of the DOTS-R across the three age samples, results indicated high congruity for pairwise comparisons of factor loading patterns across samples, and moderate to high levels of internal consistency for each of the temperament dimensions across samples. Data supportive of the predictive validity of the DOTS-R for early and late adolescents are noted as well.

A longitudinal study of antisocial behaviors in early adolescence as predictors of late adolescent substance use: Gender and ethnic group differences

Data from the National Longitudinal Youth Survey (NLSY) were analyzed to study interrelationships between antisocial behaviors in early adolescence (ages 14-15) and late adolescent alcohol and drug use 4 years later (when adolescents were 18-19). Correlations between classes of antisocial behaviors in early adolescence and substance use in late adolescence were of higher magnitude and more uniform for men than for women; for women, property offenses (e.g., vandalism) in early adolescence were more highly associated with alcohol use, alcohol-related problems, and illicit drug use in late adolescence than with either status offenses or transgressions against persons. Multiple regression analyses indicated that early-adolescent substance involvement was a significant predictor of late-adolescent alcohol and drug use. Additional significant predictors included early adolescent general delinquency, male gender, and non-Black ethnicity.

The science of prevention : methodological advances from alcohol and substance abuse research

The goal of The Science of Prevention: Methodological Advances From Alcohol and Substance Abuse Research is to promote critical thinking among new and established investigators about how to design research and analyze research findings. Although the substantive focus of many chapters is on applications to the prevention of alcohol and substance abuse, nearly all of the methodological principles and statistical models are general and have potential application to the full range of areas in which prevention research takes place. The contributors to this book share their knowledge from an informed, applied perspective. Most are active researchers in the field of substance abuse prevention who are also methodological experts. They have a firsthand knowledge not only of the methodological, statistical, and measurement issues but also of the substantive issues of their field. [publisher description]

Transitions Into Underage and Problem Drinking: Developmental Processes and Mechanisms Between 10 and 15 Years of Age

Numerous developmental changes occur across levels of personal organization (eg, changes related to puberty, brain and cognitive-affective structures and functions, and family and peer relationships) in the age period of 10 to 15 years. Furthermore, the onset and escalation of alcohol use commonly occur during this period. This article uses both animal and human studies to characterize these multilevel developmental changes. The timing of and variations in developmental changes are related to individual differences in alcohol use. It is proposed that this integrated developmental perspective serve as the foundation for subsequent efforts to prevent and to treat the causes, problems, and consequences of alcohol consumption.

Parental, sibling, and peer influences on adolescent substance use and alcohol problems

Structural equation modeling was used with data from over 570 middle adolescents to evaluate a multivariate developmental model of predictors of adolescent alcohol and other drug use, and alcohol problems. Consistent with previous research, peer and sibling substance use were more strongly related to adolescent substance use than parental alcohol use. Sibling substance use was a robust predictor of peer substance use, and both temperament characteristics (e.g., activity level) and stressful life events predicted peer substance use. Sibling substance use also predicted coping motives for drinking by the target adolescent, implicating possible role modeling or imitation for drinking under stressful conditions and a preference for avoidance coping strategies. Alcohol use was a significant predictor of alcohol problems and illicit drug use; however, peer substance use, coping motives for drinking, and stressful life events were also statistically significant predictors of alcohol problems, over and above their influence on level of alcohol use. Findings based on these multivariate relations are discussed with regard to intervention implications and the need to provide more secondary interventions for middle adolescents with alcohol problems.

Trajectories of marijuana use from adolescence to young adulthood: Predictors and outcomes

Semiparametric group-based mixture modeling was used with data from an adolescent school sample (N = 1205) for three purposes. First, five trajectory groups were identified to characterize different patterns of change in the frequency of marijuana use across four waves of assessment during adolescence. These trajectory groups were labeled Abstainers, Experimental Users, Decreasers, Increasers, and High Chronics. Second, trajectory group comparisons were made across eight adolescent risk factors to determine distinctive predictors of the trajectory groups. Findings indicated, for example, that the High Chronic group, relative to the other trajectory groups, had higher levels of delinquency, lower academic performance, more drug using friends, and more stressful life events. Third, adolescent trajectory group comparisons were made across 10 risk behaviors in young adulthood (average subject age = 23.5 years) and the occurrence of psychiatric and substance abuse disorders. Findings indicated some consistency across adolescence to young adulthood with regard to risk factors, and specificity with regard to the prediction of disorders. Adolescent trajectory group membership was significantly associated in young adulthood with cannabis and alcohol disorders but not with major depressive disorders or anxiety disorders.

Depressive symptoms and cigarette smoking among middle adolescents: prospective associations and intrapersonal and interpersonal influences.

Using data from a 4-wave longitudinal study with a school-based sample of 1,218 middle adolescents, the authors investigated the directionality (e.g., unidirectionality and bidirectionality) of the prospective relationship between depressive symptoms and cigarette use within the context of potential confounding variables and common and unique intrapersonal and interpersonal predictors. Findings indicated that serious and persistent depressive symptoms were prospective predictors of increased cigarette use across time, after controlling for baseline levels of smoking. Similarly, heavy and persistent smoking prospectively predicted increases in depressive symptoms. Intrapersonal and interpersonal predictors of cross-temporal changes in depressive symptoms and cigarette use were more unique than common. Latent growth curve modeling indicated a quadratic trend in adolescent cigarette smoking across time with an initial acceleration followed by a deceleration, though there was substantial intraindividual variation in individual trajectories.

Temperament and novelty seeking in adolescent substance use : Convergence of dimensions of temperament with constructs from Cloninger's theory

This study investigated the convergence of temperament dimensions with constructs from C. R. Cloningers (1987a) theory using data from a sample of 949 adolescents (M age = 13.6 years). Substantial convergence was found, and both types of constructs were related in predicted ways to self-regulation variables and adolescent substance use. Structural modeling procedures tested a mediational model for substance use; results showed mediation through self-control, academic competence, negative life events, and deviant peer affiliations. Interactions indicated that substance use could be predicted from a balance of systems for good control and poor control. Poor self-control was present for dimensions implicated in both externalizing and internalizing disorders. Results are discussed with reference to self-regulation models of substance use and the comorbidity of substance abuse and mental disorder.

Coping strategies, drinking motives, and stressful life events among middle adolescents: associations with emotional and behavioral problems and with academic functioning.

A sample of 733 middle adolescents was used to study interrelations among coping strategies, drinking motives, stressful life events (major, daily positive, and daily negative), emotional and behavioral problems, and academic functioning. A main-effects (vs. stress-buffering) model was supported. Some predictors (e.g., task-oriented coping, major stressful events) were general in their predictive relations to the outcome variables, whereas others were highly specific (e.g., emotion-focused coping predicting depressed affect). Overall, the predictors accounted for 22-53% of the variance in regression equations. Positive daily events predicted higher levels of alcohol use, alcohol problems, and delinquent activity; as well as higher academic performance and lower levels of depressed affect.

Temperament and social support in adolescence: Interrelations with depressive symptoms and delinquent behaviors.

This study investigated the interrelations between temperament, perceived family and friend support, and depressive symptoms and delinquent activity with a sample of 975 adolescents (¯xage=15.5 years). A “difficult temperament” index was devised, and manifested significant associations with depressive symptoms and delinquency, as well as with low family and friend support. Moderator and mediator variable models were specified via hierarchical multiple regression equations and path analyses, respectively. There was little support for the moderator variable models; partial support was garnered for the mediational models, indicating that part of the influence of temperamental difficulty on depression and delinquency may be attributable to reduced levels of perceived family and friend support. However, temperamental difficulty also significantly predicted depression and delinquency directly, over and above its indirect influences via perceived family and friend support. The findings were similar for males and females as indicated by simultaneous group structural equation models.