Is Childhood Adversity Before Age 5 Associated with Adolescent and Young Adult Substance Use? Findings from a U.S. Prospective Cohort Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Growing research suggests that adversity experienced early in life can affect young children's development, with implications for health-related outcomes years later. This study explored long-term associations between early life adversity before age 5 (ELA) and later substance use outcomes, and racial and ethnic differences in associations.

Method

Data are from children born 1984-2000 to female participants in the U.S. National Longitudinal Study of Youth-1979 cohort (N = 4582 children nested within 2683 mothers, with 1.4-1.8 outcome observations on average for each child in each age period). ELA at ages 0-4 was measured through home observations and maternal surveys, and included high parental conflict and maternal hazardous drinking/drug use (threat-relate

SUBMITTER: Mulia N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11663693 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature