Psychosocial correlates of adolescent marijuana use: Variations by status of marijuana use

IntroductionThis study examined the associations between psychosocial factors and status of marijuana use: former experimentation, current occasional, and current frequent use.MethodsData were collected from a nationally-representative sample of U.S. tenth-graders who participated in the 2005/6 Health Behavior in School-aged Children Study (n = 1465). Multinomial regressions, run separately by gender, examined the association of risk and protective factors from the individual (life satisfaction; academic achievement; aggression, bullying) and contextual (mothers and fathers' knowledge of adolescents' activities, school climate) domains with status of marijuana use (former experimentation, current occasional use, current frequent use).ResultsFormer experimental and current marijuana uses were negatively associated with protective factors such as academic achievement, mothers' and fathers' knowledge of adolescents' activities, and life satisfaction, but not with positive school climate. Former experimental and current marijuana uses were positively associated with aggression and bullying perpetration. Most associations varied by gender and status of marijuana use. In adjusted analyses, aggression emerged as the sole risk factor and fathers' knowledge as the sole protective factor associated with most statuses of marijuana use, across gender.ConclusionFathers may be particularly important in preventing adolescent marijuana use, and interventions promoting fathers' knowledge of adolescents' activities are warranted.

Research Highlights
► Fathers’ knowledge of adolescents’ activities is protective against marijuana use.
► Association of aggression with marijuana use could reflect common determinants.
► Most risk and protective factors of marijuana use vary by gender and status of use.