Maturing out of Substance Use: Selection and Self-Correction

Abstract

Based on the concept of self-regulation of development, data from a longitudinal study of young adults were used to examine the maturing out of substance use as a manifestation of both selection and self-correction. Findings confirm a normative trend toward greater conventionality that is evidenced by decreases in individuals' own and their friends' perceived use of alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit drugs. Marriage and parenthood are important personal goals for a majority of young adults. Path analytic results indicate that by age 28/31 reductions in use are more pronounced among individuals who have remained married since their early 20s, those who have become married, and those who have become parents. These self-corrective changes in use are facilitated by selection of, and differential association with, friends who are also married and have children by age 30. At the same time, however, there is also evidence for developmental continuity in use. Besides strong autoregressive effects, such continuity is enhanced by other selection processes indicating that young adults are inclined to select friends and spouses on the basis of shared behavioral norms with regard to substance use.