Substance abuse is no new problem found on university campuses throughout the United States. Previous studies have investigated numerous factors and motivations behind substance abuse, with the hope of using findings to develop improved interventions for students in need of help. The current literature often finds substance abuse behavior to vary according to biological sex, but the specific results also vary, in turn. This study aimed to investigate substance abuse patterns and predictors in college age students with an emphasis placed on factors that differ between sexes.
This study consisted of an analysis of data found in an ongoing genetic and environmental influence project called Spit for Science (S4S). Located at a large university in the Southeast, S4S uses longitudinal genetic and environmental data provided by college students to investigate factors that lead to psychiatric diagnoses and substance abuse disorders. This study used data from participants who reported no history of substance abuse prior to enrolling in college, and data taken from participants’ freshman years was used to determine a set of baseline predictor variables related to the students “lifecourse” (N= 1279). The following variables were assessed: age, race, sensation seeking (via UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale), family structure, parental education, parental history of drug use, prior trauma (physical assault, sexual assault, other unwanted/uncomfortable sexual experience, natural disaster, transportation accident), stressful events (12 different events listed including death of family/friends, break-ups, financial hardship, etc.), tobacco use, alcohol use, number of peers who use cannabis, depression symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. Analysis was performed using structural equation modeling and linear regression analysis.
Results of the analysis found that in the cohort not reporting pre-college substance, more men than women initiated illicit substance use in the four years following enrollment (p<0.001). In females, higher measures impulsivity and histories of physical assault were associated with substance abuse initiation, and in males, higher anxiety scores were associated with substance use initiation. In both females and males, the following factors were related to increased initiation of substance use: histories of unwanted/uncomfortable sexual experiences, cigarette use, alcohol use, number of peers who use cannabis.
Takeaway: this study supports the notion that substance abuse predictors and patterns may differ according to sex. Interventions designed using sex-based differences may continue to be updated according to more nuanced and consistent findings.