Behavioral control and resiliency in the onset of alcohol and illicit drug use: a prospective study from preschool to adolescence

Abstract

The developmental trajectories of behavioral control and resiliency from early childhood to adolescence and their effects on early onset of substance use were examined. Behavioral control is the tendency to express or contain one's impulses and behaviors. Resiliency is the ability to adapt flexibly one's characteristic level of control in response to the environment. Study participants were 514 children of alcoholics and matched controls from a longitudinal community sample (Time 1 age in years: M=4.32, SD=0.89). Children with slower rates of increase in behavioral control were more likely to use alcohol and other drugs in adolescence. Children with higher initial levels of resiliency were less likely to begin using alcohol.

Figure 1

Unconditional latent growth model of behavioral control. Note: η_α is the latent intercept factor of behavioral control. η_β is the latent slope factor of behavioral control. An unconditional latent growth model of resiliency was also estimated.

Figure 2

Hypothetical structural equation model of the effects of behavioral control and resiliency on risk behaviors. Note: Adolescent internalizing problems were included in separate models.

Figure 3

Estimated relationship between behavioral control and resiliency.

Figure 4

Fitted hazard function of the age of onset of alcohol use among children of alcoholics. Note: Age categories: 1=age 2–3, 2=age 4–5, 3=age 6–7, 4=age 8–9, 5=age 10–11, 6=age 12–13, 7=age 14–15, and 8=age 16–17.