Exploring substance use patterns among 2-year college students: a latent class approach to identifying high-risk...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Substance Abuse Research

Background:

• Alcohol and cannabis are frequently used by young adults.
• Simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use is associated with increased negative outcomes.
• Young adults in 2-year colleges represent an understudied population regarding substance use patterns and risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct patterns of alcohol and cannabis use among 2-year college students.
• To examine demographic and social factors associated with different substance use patterns.
• To inform targeted prevention strategies for young adults in 2-year college settings.

Main Methods:

• Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify substance use patterns in 234 young adults (18-29 years).
• Participants reported recent, elevated alcohol and/or cannabis use.
• Multinomial logistic regression analyzed demographic and perceived norm associations with identified use classes.

Main Results:

• Four distinct classes of substance use emerged: alcohol-only, cannabis-only, combined use, and combined use with high consequences.
• The higher-risk classes were associated with male gender, younger age, not living with parents, and higher parental approval of cannabis.
• Approximately 61% of students fell into categories involving both alcohol and cannabis use.

Conclusions:

• Substance use among 2-year college students is heterogeneous, necessitating nuanced approaches.
• Parental norms regarding cannabis use are a significant factor influencing young adults' substance use behaviors.
• Findings underscore the importance of considering specific demographics and social contexts for effective substance use prevention in this population.