Prospective Influence of Music-Related Media Exposure on Adolescent Substance-Use Initiation: A Peer Group Mediation Model

Abstract

The present study tests prospective effects of music-related media content (from television, Internet, and magazines) on youth alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use initiation. Indirect effects through association with substance-using peers were tested in a 4-wave longitudinal data set (2,729 middle school students for the alcohol model, 2,716 students for the cigarette model, and 2,710 students for the marijuana model) from schools across the United States. In so doing, the authors examine theoretical claims regarding socialization mechanisms for effects of popular music listenership on substance use initiation. Results supported direct effects on alcohol and cigarette uptake, and indirect effects through association with substance-using peers on all 3 substances. This research, in combination with prior studies by several research teams, suggests elevated popular music involvement is a risk factor with respect to younger adolescents' substance use behavior. This influence is in part explained by the role of music-related media content in socialization to substance-using peer groups.

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the efforts of project manager Linda Stapel, the Tri-Ethnic Center for Prevention Research, Colorado State University, and the students and staff of participating schools, who together made this research possible. This research was supported by grant DA12360 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to the first author.

Notes

¹Popular media news reports (and casual viewing) indicate that alcohol use in particular is a staple of such programming (e.g., http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment /2010/03/11/mtv-bans-jwoww-jersey-shore-drinking-alcohol).

Note. The sample is restricted to students present in all three discrete-time survival analysis models (N = 2,691).

Note. The sample is restricted to students present in all three discrete-time survival analysis models (N = 2,691). Bold values are significant at p < .05.