The Temporal Effects of Parental Divorce on Youth Substance Use

Abstract

This article examines how the parental divorce process affects youth substance use at various stages relative to the divorce. With child-fixed-effect models and a baseline period that is long before the divorce, the estimates rely on within-child changes over time. Youth are more likely to use alcohol 2–4 years before a parental divorce. After the divorce, youth have an increased risk of using alcohol and marijuana, with the effect for marijuana being 12.1 percentage points in the two years right after the divorce (p = .010). The magnitudes of the effects persist as time passes from the divorce.

RÉSUMÉ

Este periódico examina como el proceso de divorcio paternal afecta la toxicomanía juvenil en las diversas etapas en relación al divorcio. Con modelos de efecto-fijo-del niño y un período base que comienza mucho antes del divorcio, las aproximaciones son basadas en cambios dentro del niño por un periodo de tiempo. Es más probable que la juventud comience a consumir alcohol de 2 a 4 años antes de que un divorcio suceda. Después del divorcio, el riesgo de que los jóvenes consuman alcohol y marihuana es mayor; el efecto del uso de la marihuana es de 12.1 puntos porcentuales en los dos años directamente después del divorcio (p = 0.010). La magnitud de los efectos persisten a medida que pasa el tiempo del divorcio.

RESUMEN

Cet article examine comment le processus de divorce parental affecter la toxicomanie des jeunes dans les étages différents de la séparation des parents. Avec des modèles d'enfant-fixe-effet et un période base que commence bien avant le divorce, les évaluations se fondent des changements à l'intérieur d'enfant au fil du temps. La jeunesse probablement emploie l'alcool 2–4 ans avant un divorce parental. Après le divorce, la jeunesse ont un risque plus grand d'employer l'alcool et la marijuana, avec l'effet pour la marijuana étant 12,1 points pendant les deux années juste après le divorce (p = 0,010). L'ampleur des effets continue à exister avec la passer du temps après le divorce.

Keywords :

• divorce
• drug use
• substance use
• adolescent
• teenage

Notes

2 The reader is reminded that the concepts of “risk factors”, as well as “protective factors”, are often noted in the literature, without adequately noting their dimensions (linear, non-linear; rates of development; anchoring or integration, cessation, etc.)), their “demands”, the critical necessary conditions (endogenously as well as exogenously; from a micro to a meso to a macro level) which are necessary for either of them to operate (begin, continue, become anchored and integrate, change as de facto realities change, cease, etc.) or not to and whether their underpinnings are theory-driven, empirically-based, individual and/or systemic stake holder- bound, based upon “principles of faith”, historical observation, precedents and traditions that accumulate over time, conventional wisdom, perceptual and judgmental constraints, “transient public opinion.” or what. This is necessary to consider and to clarify if these term are not to remain as yet additional shibboleth in a field of many stereotypes, tradition-driven activities, “principles of faith” and stakeholder objectives. Editor's note.