Citation
Wilkinson, Andra; Herring, Amy H; & Halpern, Carolyn T (2015). Trajectories of adolescent substance use, sexual risk taking and depressive symptoms using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. American Public Health Association 143rd Annual Meeting and Exposition. Chicago, IL.Abstract
Adolescent risk taking (sexual risk and substance use) and depression are significant experiences in the life course as they can contribute to sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancy, and substance abuse/addiction in young adulthood. Previous analyses have yielded mixed findings on the patterns of these behaviors/experiences from adolescence into young adulthood and how these patterns relate to each other. The aim of this project is to use advanced statistical modeling and a large and diverse nationally representative sample (n=9421) to describe these patterns. With data from Waves I, III and IV from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this project will use multilevel longitudinal models to examine patterns of change in risk taking (measured by frequency of substance use and sexual risk behaviors) over time and how depressive symptoms (measured by the CES-D) are associated with the intercept or slope of these patterns, and how risk taking is associated with the intercept or slope of depressive symptoms over time. These patterns are examined by gender. The results of this analysis will inform public health prevention and screening efforts by identifying the ages when depressive symptoms are highest and when risk behaviors peak for male and female adolescents and young adults.URL
https://apha.confex.com/apha/143am/webprogram/Paper326179.htmlReference Type
Conference proceedingBook Title
American Public Health Association 143rd Annual Meeting and ExpositionAuthor(s)
Wilkinson, AndraHerring, Amy H
Halpern, Carolyn T