Do adversities experienced over the early life course predict mental illness and substance use behaviour in adulthood: A birth cohort study.

A range of adult health outcomes have been linked to early childhood adversities. These early adversities include parental marital breakdown and family economic disadvantage. Childhood experiences of maltreatment have also been linked to a variety of adult health outcomes. As both childhood adversities and child maltreatment often co-occur, we examine whether childhood adversities at 3 stages of the child's early life course predict any of nine adult mental health outcomes controlling for past experiences of child trauma (maltreatment). Data are from a long running birth cohort study, the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP). We use bivariate and multinomial logistic regression with adjustment for confounding, to predict adult outcomes. Experiences of recent life events in pregnancy appear to be unrelated to adult mental health. Recent life events experienced at the 5-year follow-up independently predicts lifetime ever depression and cannabis use disorder. Experiences of recent life events at 14-years of age predict lifetime ever depression, cannabis and amphetamine use in adulthood. Our findings support early childhood interventions which should be supplemented with a focus on later childhood and the adolescent period of development. Interventions should also focus on the broader social and demographic context within which children are born. Efforts to reduce the occurrence and consequences of childhood maltreatment should be given primary attention in order to reduce the childhood factors contributing to adult mental illness.

A genome-wide association study of total child psychiatric problems scores.

Substantial genetic correlations have been reported across psychiatric disorders and numerous cross-disorder genetic variants have been detected. To identify the genetic variants underlying general psychopathology in childhood, we performed a genome-wide association study using a total psychiatric problem score. We analyzed 6,844,199 common SNPs in 38,418 school-aged children from 20 population-based cohorts participating in the EAGLE consortium. The SNP heritability of total psychiatric problems was 5.4% (SE = 0.01) and two loci reached genome-wide significance: rs10767094 and rs202005905. We also observed an association of SBF2, a gene associated with neuroticism in previous GWAS, with total psychiatric problems. The genetic effects underlying the total score were shared with common psychiatric disorders only (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, depression, insomnia) (rG > 0.49), but not with autism or the less common adult disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or eating disorders) (rG < 0.01). Importantly, the total psychiatric problem score also showed at least a moderate genetic correlation with intelligence, educational attainment, wellbeing, smoking, and body fat (rG > 0.29). The results suggest that many common genetic variants are associated with childhood psychiatric symptoms and related phenotypes in general instead of with specific symptoms. Further research is needed to establish causality and pleiotropic mechanisms between related traits.

Trajectories of parental and peer supply of alcohol in adolescence and associations with later alcohol consumption and harms: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Supply of alcohol to adolescents is associated with increased alcohol consumption and harms including alcohol use disorder (AUD). We aimed to identify: (1) trajectories of alcohol supply to adolescents; (2) sociodemographic characteristics associated with supply trajectory; (3) patterns of alcohol consumption by supply trajectory; and (4) supply trajectory associations with adverse alcohol outcomes. METHODS: We used Australian longitudinal survey data (N = 1813) to model latent trajectories of parent and peer alcohol supply over five annual follow-ups (Waves 2-6; Mage 13.9-17.8 years). Regression models assessed associations between supply trajectories and Wave 1 (Mage=12.9 years) sociodemographic factors and associations between supply trajectories and Wave 7 (Mage=18.8 years) alcohol outcomes. RESULTS: We identified five alcohol supply classes: (1) minimal supply (n = 739, 40.8%); (2) early parent sips, late peer/parent whole drinks (n = 254, 14.0%); (3) late peer/parent whole drinks (n = 419, 23.1%); (4) early parent sips, mid peer/parent whole drinks (n = 293, 16.2%); (5) early peer/parent whole drinks (n = 108, 6.0%). Compared to minimal supply, the other classes were 2.7-12.9 times as likely to binge drink, 1.6-3.0 times as likely to experience alcohol-related harms, and 2.1-8.6 times as likely to report AUD symptoms at age 19. CONCLUSION: Earlier supply of whole drinks, particularly from peers, was associated with increased risk of early adulthood adverse alcohol outcomes. While minimal supply represented the lowest risk, supplying sips only in early-mid adolescence and delaying supply of whole drinks until late adolescence is likely to be less risky than earlier supply of whole drinks.

Gender differences in the supply of alcohol to adolescent daughters and sons.

Background: Parents are the main supplier of alcohol to children but it is not known whether mothers and fathers equally contribute to the supply of alcohol to their female and male children as these children transition to adulthood.Objectives: i) to determine whether the gender of the parent is associated with the gender of the adolescent offspring when alcohol is supplied and ii) whether the gender of the parent supplying is associated with gender differences in adolescent binge drinking and alcohol related harms.Methods: Longitudinal cohort of 1,927 (males = 1052) Australian adolescents (mean age 12.9 years), recruited in 2010/11 from schools in Australia and surveyed annually for six years. We assessed the association between adolescent and parent gender related to subsequent adolescent drinking, binge drinking (>4 standard drinks), and alcohol-related harms.Results: At mean age of 12.9 years about one in ten children report parental supply of alcohol which increases to about four in ten children by 17.8 years. Mothers consistently more often supply their daughters with alcohol than their sons, [Wave 5 OR 1.77 (1.53,2.05)], while mothers less often supply sons than their daughters, [Wave 5 OR 0.82 (0.71,0.95)]. Mothers' supply of alcohol to daughters predicts substantially increased odds of daughters binge drinking, [OR 1.67 (1.10,2.53)] and experiencing alcohol related harms, [OR 1.65 (1.10,2.48)].Conclusion: There is a need to involve both mothers and fathers and to equally target female and male children in programs to reduce the harmful consequences of parental supply of alcohol to their children.

Gender Differences in Intimate Partner Violence in Current and Prior Relationships.

Although much available research indicates that intimate partner violence (IPV) is male perpetrated, growing recent evidence suggests a gender symmetry model of family violence. This article examines gender differences in IPV in current and prior relationships reported by young adults. Data comprised 2,060 young adults (62.1% females) who participated in the 30-year follow-up of the Mater Hospital and University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP) in Brisbane, Australia. The Composite Abuse Scale was used to measure IPV during the last 12 months in the respondents' most recent relationship. Similar proportions of males and females reported leaving their prior relationships. Both males and females who were not currently in a relationship reported experiencing much higher rates of IPV than those who were in a relationship. There were no differences in the past experience of IPV between males and females who were not currently in a relationship, but males in a current relationship reported they experienced most forms of IPV more often than did females. IPV typically involves both male and female perpetrators and victims. It does appear that the majority of relationships involving higher rates of IPV were dissolved. IPV was more likely to have occurred in relationships that ended than in relationships that persisted. Males more often remain in an abusive relationship and report experiencing higher rates of IPV in their current relationships compared with females.

Agency notification and retrospective self-reports of childhood maltreatment in a 30-Year cohort: Estimating population prevalence from different data sources.

BACKGROUND: There is little known about how two sources of child maltreatment reports correspond, specifically for emotional, physical, sexual abuse and emotional or physical neglect. OBJECTIVE: To compare agency and self-reports of child maltreatment and determine whether they are predicted by similar early life course adverse experiences. Participants Data are taken from a long running birth cohort study (Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy - MUSP). Mothers (N=7223) were recruited in 1981-83 and their children were followed-up 30 years later (2010-14). In 2000 data from the relevant child protection agency were accessed and linked to the survey data. Setting Consecutive women giving birth to a live singleton baby at a major obstetrical service in Brisbane, Australia were recruited and both mother and child were repeatedly follow-up over a 30 year period. Methods Birth cohort study with data linkage of child protection agency records and self-report survey data (using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire - CTQ) of childhood maltreatment experiences. We compare reports of emotional, physical and sexual abuse and neglect using agency and self-reports (Cramer's V and kappa). RESULTS: Most children who are notified cases of maltreatment subsequently self-report they experienced little or no maltreatment in childhood. Most children who report experiencing severe maltreatment have not previously been notified to the protection agency. Teenage mothers have children who are notified 2.89 (1.52, 5.52) times, self-report 2.01 (1.31, 3.09) times and both notified and self-report 3.61 (2.26, 6.10) times more than their older comparison mothers. CONCLUSIONS: Different methods of assessing maltreatment identify different subsets of those children who have experienced maltreatment.

Illicit drug use by mothers and their daughters in Australia: A comparison of two generations.

BACKGROUND: While recent decades have witnessed an increase in the use of illicit drugs in Australia, the extent to which the types of drugs used has changed over a generation of young women has not been documented. METHODS: Data are from a prospective birth cohort study. Mothers were recruited in early pregnancy (1981-83) and then they and their child were followed up, with mothers interviewed 27 years (2008-2011), and daughters 30 years (2010-14), after the birth. At these most recent interviews both mothers and daughters were administered the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI III). Comparisons are for mothers and daughters separated by a 25 year period. For this study, we compare levels of lifetime use of a range of illicit drugs and drug use disorders reported by mothers and their daughters (N = 998 mother/daughter pairs) with adjustment for family income, marital status, education and occupation. RESULTS: There has been a generational increase in the use of illicit substances and prevalence of substance use disorders experienced by Australian women. Mothers' use of illicit drugs was generally restricted to cannabis. By contrast the majority of daughters report lifetime use of an illicit drug with cannabis, club drugs and stimulants the most common. Compared to the mothers, daughters used club drugs 50 times, cocaine 19 times and inhalants 20 times more often. Daughters report experiencing 12 times the rate of cocaine use disorders, 9 times the rate of stimulant disorders and 7 times the rate of cannabis use disorders compared to their mothers. CONCLUSIONS: Mothers of the current generation of 30 year old Australian women rarely used illicit drugs and few experienced a drug use disorder. The current generation of young women report commonly using one or more illicit drugs with a substantial minority experiencing a drug use disorder. It is unlikely that the use of illicit drugs by young women in Australia will be reversed in the foreseeable future. Government policies and treatment practices need to be calibrated to the reality of the much greater contact with illicit drugs being exhibited by younger women.

The overall effect of parental supply of alcohol across adolescence on alcohol-related harms in early adulthood-a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Recent research suggests that parental supply of alcohol is associated with more risky drinking and alcohol-related harm among adolescents. However, the overall effect of parental supply throughout adolescence remains unclear, because parental supply of alcohol varies during adolescence. Due to the complexity of longitudinal data, standard analytical methods can be biased. This study examined the effect of parental supply of alcohol on alcohol-related outcomes in early adulthood using robust methods to minimize risk of bias. DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Australia PARTICIPANTS: A cohort of school students (n = 1906) recruited in the first year of secondary school (average age 12.9 years) from Australian schools in 2010-11, interviewed annually for 7 years. MEASUREMENTS: The exposure variable was self-reported parental supply of alcohol (including sips/whole drinks) during 5 years of adolescence (waves 1-5). Outcome variables were self-reported binge drinking, alcohol-related harm and symptoms of alcohol use disorder, measured in the two waves after the exposure period (waves 6-7). To reduce risk of bias, we used targeted maximum likelihood estimation to assess the (counterfactual) effect of parental supply of alcohol in all five waves versus no supply on alcohol-related outcomes. FINDINGS: Parental supply of alcohol throughout adolescence saw greater risk of binge drinking [risk ratios (RR) = 1.53; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.27-1.84] and alcohol-related harms (RR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.22-1.69) in the year following the exposure period compared with no supply in adolescence. Earlier initiation of parental supply also increased risk of binge drinking (RR = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.05-1.14), and any alcohol-related harm (RR = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.05-1.13) for each year earlier parental supply began compared with later (or no) initiation. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents whose parents supply them with alcohol appear to have an increased risk of alcohol-related harm compared with adolescents whose parents do not supply them with alcohol. The risk appears to increase with earlier initiation of supply.

Intimate partner violence and subsequent depression and anxiety disorders.

PURPOSE: The current longitudinal study examines the temporal association between different types of intimate partner violence (IPV) at early adulthood (21 years) and subsequent depression and anxiety disorders in young adulthood (30 years). METHODS: Participants were from the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy. A cohort of 1529 was available for analysis. IPV was measured using the Composite Abuse Scale at 21 years. At the 21 and 30-year follow-ups, major depression disorder and anxiety disorders were measured using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. RESULTS: We found a temporal relationship between almost all forms of IPV at 21 years and females' new cases of major depression disorder at 30 years. This association was not found for females who had previously been diagnosed with depression disorder. IPV did not predict the onset of new anxiety disorders, but it had a robust association with anxiety disorders in females with a previous anxiety diagnosis. We observed no significant link between IPV and males' subsequent major depression disorder. Interestingly, the experience of emotional abuse was a robust predictor of new cases of anxiety disorders but only for males. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the need for sex-specific and integrated interventions addressing both IPV and mental health problems simultaneously. IPV interventions should be informed by the extend to which pre-existing anxiety and depression may lead to different psychological responses to the IPV experience. Increased risk of anxiety disorders predicted by emotional abuse experienced by males challenges beliefs about invulnerability of men in the abusive relationships and demands further attention.

Income, Gender, and Forms of Intimate Partner Violence.

Poverty and socioeconomic disadvantage place demands on intimate relationships and provide fertile ground for disagreements and conflicts. It is not known whether poverty also leads to intimate partner violence (IPV). This study investigates the association between income and forms of IPV victimization for both males and females. We also examine whether income inequalities are related to IPV and whether the gender balance of household income contributes to IPV victimization. Data are from a cohort of 2,401 young offspring (60.3% females) who participated at the 30-year follow-up of the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy in Brisbane, Australia. Participants completed questionnaires including their income details and the Composite Abuse Scale. Within low-income families, both partners experience higher levels of IPV. Females' income is not independently related to experiencing IPV either for females or males. Females and males experience a higher rate of IPV when the husband earns a low income. When considering partners' relative income, families in which both partners earned a low income experienced higher levels of almost all forms of IPV. Income (im)balance in which females earn more or partners both have higher income was less often associated with the experience OF IPV IPV appears to be mutually experienced in the setting of the poverty. Objective economic hardship and scarcity create a context which facilitates IPV for both partners in a relationship.

Parent hazardous drinking and their children's alcohol use in early and mid-adolescence: prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Why adolescents' drinking is associated with their parents' drinking remains unclear. We examined associations in a prospective cohort study, adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and family factors. METHODS: We recruited 1927 children from grade 7 classes (mean age 13 years), and one of their parents, in three Australian states, contacted participants annually from 2010 to 2014, and analysed data from assessments at ages 13, 14, 15 and 16 years. We used the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) subscale to identify hazardous drinking in parents (score ≥5) and children (score ≥3) and constructed mixed-effect logistic regression models, accounting for clustering within school and adjusting for likely confounders. We evaluated the sensitivity of estimates by imputing missing values assuming the data were missing at random vs. missing not at random. RESULTS: Parent hazardous drinking predicted mid-adolescent hazardous drinking, e.g. 15 years olds whose parents [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.00; 95% confidence interval 1.51-2.64] or parents' partners (aOR 1.94; 1.48-2.55) were hazardous drinkers had higher odds of being hazardous drinkers at age 16. The magnitude of univariate associations changed little after adjusting for covariates, and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the association, across a wide range of assumptions about the missing data. CONCLUSIONS: The associations between parents' and their adolescent children's hazardous drinking are unlikely to be due to confounding by socio-demographic and family factors. Parents should be encouraged, and supported by public policy, to reduce their own alcohol consumption in order to reduce their children's risk of becoming hazardous drinkers.

Intimate partner violence in emerging adulthood and subsequent substance use disorders: findings from a longitudinal study.

AIMS: To examine the temporal association between the experience of different types of intimate partner violence (IPV) in early adulthood (21 years) and substance use disorders in young adulthood (30 years). DESIGN: Prospective birth cohort study using data from the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP). SETTING: Brisbane, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1353 people (822 females and 531 males). MEASUREMENTS: IPV was measured using the Composite Abuse Scale (CAS) and alcohol, substance and nicotine use disorders were assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). FINDINGS: In females, the experience of different forms of IPV at 21 years remained a robust risk factor for subsequent alcohol use disorder [adjusted odds ratios (aORs) ranged from 1.6 to 2.6 (all P < 0.05)], substance use disorder [aORs ranged from 2.1 to 4.0 (all P < 0.001)] and nicotine use disorder [aORs ranged from 2.0 to 2.4 (all P < 0.05)] at 30 years, even after controlling for antecedent substance disorders. However, in males only physical and emotional abuse (but not harassment) were significant in predicting alcohol use disorder [aORs ranged from 1.4 to 1.8 (all P < 0.05)] and drug use disorder [aORs ranged from 1.6 to 2.0 (all P < 0.05)] in the fully adjusted model. CONCLUSION: Intimate partner violence (IPV) in early adulthood is robustly associated with alcohol, substance and nicotine use disorders in women, whereas in men the association is clear for only some forms of IPV and types of disorder.

Maternal intimate partner violence victimization and child maltreatment.

There is some limited evidence of an association between maternal intimate partner victimization (IPV) and children's experience of maltreatment. Using data from a longitudinal study, we examine whether this relationship is independent of range of potential confounders including socio-economic, familial and psychological factors. Data were taken from the 14 and 30-year follow-ups of the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP) in Australia. A subsample of 2064 mothers and children (59.0% female) whose data on maternal IPV and child maltreatment was available, were analysed. In families with maternal IPV, two in five children reported being maltreated, compared to one in five children maltreated in families without maternal IPV. Except for sexual maltreatment which was consistently higher in female offspring, there was no gender differences in experiencing different types of maltreatment in families manifesting maternal IPV. Although both males and females were at increased risk of child maltreatment in families where mothers were victimized by their male partners, male children were more likely to be emotionally maltreated. The main associations were substantially independent of measured confounders, except for father's history of mental health problems which attenuated the association of maternal IPV victimization and male offspring's physical abuse. Our findings confirm that there is a robust association between maternal IPV and child maltreatment. Both maternal IPV victimization and child maltreatment co-occur in a household characterized by conflict and violence. Consequences of IPV go beyond the incident and influence all family members. Efforts to reduce child maltreatment may need to address the greater level of IPV associated with the cycle of family violence.

Does leaving an abusive partner lead to a decline in victimization?

BACKGROUND: This paper investigates gender differences in persistence of intimate partner violence (IPV), for those remaining or leaving an abusive relationship. We followed a sample of males and females to examine whether leaving an abusive partner may alter the continuity of victimization. METHODS: Data were taken from the 21 and 30-year follow-ups of the Mater Hospital and University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP) in Australia. A cohort of 1265 respondents, including 874 females and 391 males, completed a 21-item version of the Composite Abuse Scale. RESULTS: We found proportionally similar rates of IPV victimization for males and females at both the 21 and 30 year follow-ups. Females who reported they had an abusive partner at the 21 year follow-up were more likely to subsequently change their partner than did males. Harassment and then emotional abuse appeared to have a stronger association for females leaving a partner. For males, a reported history of IPV was not significantly associated with leaving the partner. There was no significant association between leaving (or not) a previous abusive relationship and later victimization, either for male or female respondents. CONCLUSION: Changing a partner does not interrupt the continuity of victimization either for male or female respondents, and previous IPV victimization remained a determining factor of re-abuse, despite re-partnering.

Age of Alcohol Initiation and Progression to Binge Drinking in Adolescence: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Early alcohol initiation is common and has been associated with the development of alcohol problems. Yet, past research on the association of age of initiation with later problem drinking has produced inconsistent findings. Using prospective data from the Australian Parental Supply of Alcohol Longitudinal Study cohort, this study examined age of alcohol initiation, and of first drunkenness, and associations with subsequent drinking in adolescence. METHODS: A total of 1,673 parent-child dyads recruited through Australian secondary schools completed annual surveys for 5 years (grades 7 to 11). Limiting the sample to those adolescents who had initiated alcohol use by age 17 (n = 839), multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine associations between (i) age of initiation to alcohol use (consuming at least 1 full serve) and (ii) age of first drunkenness, and 2 outcomes: (i) binge drinking (consuming >4 standard drinks on a single occasion), and (ii) the total number of alcoholic drinks consumed in the past year, adjusted for a range of potential child, parent, family, and peer covariates. RESULTS: Fifty percent of adolescents reported alcohol use and 36% reported bingeing at wave 5 (mean age 16.9 years), and the mean age of initiation to alcohol use for drinkers was 15.1 years. Age of initiation was significantly associated with binge drinking and total quantity of alcohol consumed in unadjusted and adjusted models. Age of first drunkenness was associated with total quantity of alcohol consumed in unadjusted models but not adjusted models and was not associated with subsequent bingeing. CONCLUSIONS: Initiating alcohol use earlier in adolescence is associated with an increased risk of binge drinking and higher quantity of consumption in late secondary school, supporting an argument for delaying alcohol initiation for as long as possible to reduce the risk for problematic use in later adolescence and the alcohol-related harms that may accompany this use.

Parents Who Supply Sips of Alcohol in Early Adolescence: A Prospective Study of Risk Factors.

BACKGROUND: Parents are a major supplier of alcohol to adolescents, often initiating use with sips. Despite harms of adolescent alcohol use, research has not addressed the antecedents of such parental supply. This study investigated the prospective associations between familial, parental, peer, and adolescent characteristics on parental supply of sips. METHODS: Participants were 1729 parent-child dyads recruited from Grade 7 classes, as part of the Australian Parental Supply of Alcohol Longitudinal Study. Data are from baseline surveys (Time 1) and 1-year follow-up (Time 2). Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions tested prospective associations between Time 1 familial, parental, peer, and adolescent characteristics and Time 2 parental supply. RESULTS: In the fully adjusted model, parental supply was associated with increased parent-report of peer substance use (odds ratio [OR] = 1.20, 95% confidence ratio [CI], 1.08-1.34), increased home alcohol access (OR = 1.07, 95% CI, 1.03-1.11), and lenient alcohol-specific rules (OR=0.88, 95% CI, 0.78-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Parents who perceived that their child engaged with substance-using peers were more likely to subsequently supply sips of alcohol. Parents may believe supply of a small quantity of alcohol will protect their child from unsupervised alcohol use with peers. It is also possible that parental perception of peer substance use may result in parents believing that this is a normative behavior for their child's age group, and in turn that supply is also normative. Further research is required to understand the impacts of such supply, even in small quantities, on adolescent alcohol use trajectories.

Predictors of comorbid polysubstance use and mental health disorders in young adults-a latent class analysis.

AIM: The co-occurrence of mental health and substance use disorders adds complexity to already-significant health burdens. This study tests whether mental health disorders group differently across substance use disorder types and compares associations of early factors with the development of differing comorbidities. DESIGN: Consecutive antenatal clinic attendees were recruited to the longitudinal Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP). Mother/offspring dyads were followed over 21 years. SETTING: Mater-Misericordiae Public Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: MUSP offspring with maternal baseline information (n = 7223), offspring behaviour data at 14 (n = 4815) and psychiatric diagnoses at 21 (n = 2575). MEASUREMENTS: The Composite International Diagnostic Interview yielded life-time diagnoses of mental health (MH) and substance use (SU) disorders for offspring, then latent class modelling predicted membership of polydisorder groups. We fitted the resulting estimates in multinomial logistic regression models, adjusting for maternal smoking, drinking and mental health, adolescent drinking, smoking and behaviour and mother-child closeness. FINDINGS: Fit indices [Bayesian information criterion (BIC) = 12 415; Akaike information criterion (AIC) = 12 234] from LCA supported a four-class solution: low disorder (73.6%), MH/low SU disorder (10.6%), alcohol/cannabis/low MH disorder (12.2%) and poly SU/moderate MH disorder (3.5%). Adolescent drinking predicted poly SU/MH disorders [odds ratio (OR) = 3.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.42-7.84], while externalizing predicted membership of both SU disorder groups (ORalcohol/cannabis = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.11-3.75; ORpolysubstance = 2.65, 95% CI = 1.1-6.08). Maternal smoking during pregnancy predicted MH (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.06-2.23) and alcohol/cannabis-use disorders (OR = 1.73; 95% CI = 1.22-2.45). Low maternal warmth predicted mental health disorders only (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.32-3.71). CONCLUSIONS: Mental health disorders are more likely in young adults with polysubstance use disorders than those with alcohol/cannabis use disorders. Predictors of comorbid mental health/polysubstance use disorders differ from those for alcohol/cannabis use disorders, and are detectable during adolescence.

Cannabis use and quality of life of adolescents and young adults: findings from an Australian birth cohort.

Cannabis is generally used to enhance mood (quality of life), but it is not known whether it has this effect in the medium to longer term. Little is currently known about the temporal sequence between cannabis use and the quality of life (QOL). Data are taken from a prospective longitudinal study of pregnant women recruited at their first antenatal visit in Brisbane, Australia. Offspring data from the follow-ups with 14-year-olds and 21-year-olds are used here. Indicators of QOL, happiness, and satisfaction at 14 years are considered as predictors of subsequent cannabis use. The association between cannabis use and QOL at 21 years, adjusting for prior QOL (14 years), is also examined. Socio-demographic characteristics were included as potential confounders relevant to QOL assessments. In this cohort, lower QOL in the early teenage years predicted subsequent onset of cannabis use in young adulthood. After adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics and for QOL pre-cannabis use, participants who used cannabis more frequently had a lower QOL at the 21-years follow-up. Frequent use of cannabis does not appear to enhance the user's QOL and appears to be associated with a reduced QOL into young adulthood.

Quality of life, age of onset of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders in adolescence and young adulthood: Findings from an Australian birth cohort.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Alcohol consumption among adolescents and young adults is a persistent community concern. Little is known about the short-term effects on the young adult drinker's quality of life (QOL), particularly prior to the first use of alcohol and the effect of alcohol consumption on subsequent QOL assessments. There is a need to know more about the QOL of those who decide to use alcohol in adolescence and the effect of alcohol consumption on young adult QOL. DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a prospective longitudinal study of a birth cohort. Data were taken from the 14- and 21-year follow ups. At both time points, QOL was indicated by a measure of happiness and satisfaction. Alcohol use was also measured at 14- and 21-year follow ups. At the 21-year follow up, alcohol use disorder (AUD) was assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. RESULTS: At the 14-year follow up, there was a strong association between QOL and quantity of alcohol consumed. QOL at 14 years also predicted more frequent alcohol use at 21 years of age. Poor QOL at 14 years was a strong predictor of earlier age of onset of an AUD. However, when age of onset of AUD was used to predict subsequent QOL, the associations were weak and inconsistent. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Poor QOL was associated with the early age of onset of alcohol use and AUDs. Addressing adolescent and young adult QOL may reduce the early onset of alcohol use and its potential for harm.