Sensation seeking, puberty, and nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana use in adolescence
Abstract
Objective To examine the relationship among nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana use; level of sensation seeking (SS); and pubertal development.Method Subjects were early and middle adolescent males and females recruited from a psychiatric clinic (n = 77) and two general pediatric clinics (n = 131). SS was measured by using the Sensation Seeking Scale for Children. Pubertal development was measured with a modified Pubertal Development Scale that was completed by the adolescent and his/her parent about the adolescent. Adolescent self-reports of nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana use were also obtained using questionnaires.Results SS was higher in males and females who reported nicotine and alcohol use and in males who reported marijuana use. SS was positively associated with pubertal development in males and females, even when controlling for age. Furthermore, SS mediated the relationship of pubertal development and drug use in males and females.Conclusions The observation that SS mediates the relationship between pubertal development and drug use in males and females may contribute to understanding changes in drug use that are seen during adolescence. In addition, SS is associated with drug use and is easily measured in a variety of clinical settings.
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Higher levels of sensation seeking are linked to more advanced pubertal status.
“The hypothesis that pubertal development drives developmental change in the socioemotional system in adolescence is derived in part from older studies linking higher levels of sensation seeking to more advanced pubertal status (Martin et al., 2002, Resnick et al., 1993).”
From The dual systems model: Review, reappraisal, and reaffirmation (2016) · cites this paper as Martin et al., 2002
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“Behaviorally, adolescence also includes the emergence of profound novelty- and sensation-seeking, which, in both humans and laboratory animals, has been associated with drug use (Martin et al. 2002; Cain et al. 2005).”
Background
- Authors
- MARTIN, C. A., KELLY, T. H., RAYENS, M. K., BROGLI, B. R., BRENZEL, A., SMITH, W. J., & OMAR, H. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Kentucky (US)
- Corresponding author
- MARTIN, CATHERINE A.
- Venue
- Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2002-12
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1495-1502
- ISSN
- 0890-8567 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2111376301
- Cited by
- 365
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 29
- FWCI
- 6.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UKnowledge (University of Kentucky) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- NIDA (grants K08 DA00333 and DA 05312)
- University of Kentucky Medical Center Research Fund (grant 952)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
- Keywords
- sensation seeking, puberty, pubertal development, adolescent drug use, nicotine use, alcohol consumption, cannabis use, adolescent substance use, sex differences, mediation
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Alcohol Drinking, Arousal, Marijuana Abuse, Child, Female, Humans, Male, Personality Inventory, Psychometrics, Puberty, Risk-Taking, Sex Factors, Smoking
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