Intergenerational Continuity and Discontinuity in Substance Use: The Role of Concurrent Parental Marijuana Use

This study examines whether parental marijuana use that occurs during the life of a child impacts patterns of continuity and discontinuity in adolescent substance use among father-child dyads.

The study uses data from 263 father-child-mother triads involved in the Rochester Youth Development Study (RYDS) and the Rochester Intergenerational Study (RIGS). We use a dual trajectory model is used to examine the research questions.

Results suggest that both paternal and maternal marijuana use during the child's life increase the probability that a child will follow a moderate or high substance use trajectory during adolescence, beyond the risk incurred from paternal adolescent history of substance use. Some nuances related to the timing of concurrent parental marijuana use emerge across parent sex.

Concurrent parental marijuana use predicts child's substance use beyond a parent's prior substance use history. The results highlight the important role of both caregivers in the explanation of patterns of discontinuity across generations, as well as the relevance of considering when the use occurred.