Showing papers by "Ward Edwards published in 2009"

The Puzzle of Adolescent Substance Initiation

Abstract: This paper reports the first-year results of a two-year study exploring whether a Multi-Attribute Utility (MAU) model that includes a new momentary salience parameter can predict smoking and alcohol use among an ethnically diverse Southern California sample of 2,789 7th graders. The model allows detailed investigation of the role that perceptions regarding ten anticipated consequences of substance use (e.g., being more popular, feeling more relaxed, contracting a devastating illness in the future) play in the decision to initiate substance use. The student was asked about either alcohol or tobacco, but not both. Students self-reported their views regarding the consequences, along with a history of their usage, on a paper-and-pencil questionnaire administered in either a traditional classroom setting or a simulated party setting. While most students had not initiated usage at this time, those who had already begun smoking had significantly higher MAUs than nonsmokers, but there was no difference for alcohol usage. The manipulation of setting had no effect.