Lifetime Stressor Exposure Profiles and Trait Risk for Substance Use in Young Adults

Background: Substance use severity is shaped by a range of developmental and psychological factors, including the timing of stressor exposure across the lifespan. Previous research identified early-life stressor exposure as a factor in this progression, but emerging research has suggested the importance of considering the timing of stressor exposure across development. Objectives: Here, we tested whether distinct profiles of stressor exposure-in particular, consistent vs. mismatching patterns between early-life and recent stressor exposure-were associated with the severity of alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine use in a young adult sample of 249 college students. Results: A multivariate cluster analysis identified seven profiles of stressor exposure during development. Importantly, both high cumulative stressor exposure and mismatching patterns of early to recent life stressor exposure predicted greater substance use severity. Notably, follow-up ANOVA and regression analyses demonstrated the predictiveness of these stress profiles held even when including other strongly linked psychological predictors within the model. Conclusions: These findings suggest that both stressor patterning and individual attributes contribute to substance use severity, and advance personalized risk profiles of substance use.