Developmental Brown Bag

Megan Patrick, PhD - Faculty Research Fellow - ISR - University of Michigan

Monday, November 23, 2009, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
3048  East Hall
Sponsored By: Developmental Brown Bag

Event Information

Abstract:
Very little research has addressed how motivations for substance use change over time and whether the reasons adolescents report using may prospectively predict substance use disorders in adulthood. This presentation will examine: (a) developmental changes in self-reported reasons for using alcohol across young adulthood using latent growth curve models, and (b) longitudinal prediction from self-reported reasons for using alcohol and marijuana (at age 18) to alcohol and marijuana use disorders (at age 35). Data are from the US national Monitoring the Future Study. Investigating the role of motivations is important for understanding the initiation and escalation of substance use behaviors, identifying individuals at particular risk for substance use disorders, and designing developmentally-appropriate intervention programs.

Bio:
Megan Patrick is a Faculty Research Fellow at the Institute for Social Research. She graduated from Penn State in 2008 with a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies. Her research has been supported by pre- and post-doctoral National Research Service Award fellowships from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).