Article Summaries
Anne Jinner
PSYCH600
June 30, 2014
Vineeta Kapoor
Article Summaries
Adolescent to emerging adulthood smoking trajectories: When do smoking trajectories diverge, and do they predict early adulthood nicotine dependence? Tobacco use is responsible for more deaths in the world than most other accidents and medical incidents combined (Riggs, Chih-Ping, Chaoyang, & Pentz, 2007). The reviews in this article show the results of a longitudinal research design conducted for studies from ages 12-28. Evaluations of these tests offered at six month intervals, and 18 month intervals showed that most people peaked as adolescents and declined with emerging adulthood (Riggs, Chih-Ping, Chaoyang, & Pentz, 2007). Results also showed that teaching adolescents and early adulthood about the effects of smoking and beginning prevention programs helps minimize tobacco addiction (Riggs, Chih-Ping, Chaoyang, & Pentz, 2007). This article is interesting to me because my mother suffered the effects of tobacco use for several years, and I saw the effects it had on her. Understanding what she went through before finally quitting and understanding why people begin smoking are interesting thoughts to me. I did not like smoking and was against it completely until I turned 31. I decided to try this after coming off an addiction. I quit after two years because I did want to start doing what I had seen my mother do for so many years.

Reference
Riggs, N. R., Chih-Ping, C., Chaoyang, L., & Pentz, M. (2007). Adolescent to emerging adulthood smoking trajectories: When do smoking trajectories diverge, and do they predict early adulthood nicotine dependence?. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 9(11), 1147-1154. doi:10.1080/14622200701648359
Trajectories of Substance Use Disorders in Youth: Identifying and Predicting Group Memberships This study bases a longitudinal research design regarding the latent use of alcohol and marijuana. This study refers to the effects of adolescent and early adulthood outcomes with and without psychosocial factors (Lee, Winters, & Wall, 2010). This study consisted of over 300 individuals assessed at intervals of 18, 20, and 22 years old (Lee, Winters, & Wall, 2010). Two classes showed alcohol and marijuana use disorders, the third class predicted psychosocial disorders, high school dropouts, previous use of other illicit drugs, alcohol and marijuana use (Lee, Winters, & Wall, 2010). Studies found that the parental history increases the likelihood of adolescent use (Lee, Winters, & Wall, 2010). Prevention programs help decrease the risk of alcohol and drug use because early intervention can find other ways to keep adolescents and emerging adults motivated to do other activities (Lee, Winters, & Wall, 2010). I found this study interesting because it stated that prevention programs do help keep adolescents and emerging adults from stepping into the wrong places in life. These studies show the results of how to help keep teenagers and young adults from falling into the wrong paths in life. If I had known what I was getting into as a young adult instead of waiting to find out the hard way, I might have found a way to avoid drug use instead of having to learn to overcome addiction. Therapy and preventative measures show the importance for adolescents and young adults to stop them from drug and alcohol abuse.
Reference
Lee, C. S., Winters, K. C., & Wall, M. M. (2010). Trajectories of Substance Use Disorders in Youth: Identifying and Predicting Group Memberships. Journal Of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 19(2), 135-157.
Characteristics of sexual abuse in childhood and adolescence influence sexual risk behavior in adulthood. This study represents a longitudinal research design about the prevalence of domestic abuse and violence in the family of origin as compared to the family of destination (Senn, Carey, Vanable, Coury-Doniger, & Urban, 2007). This study covered a ten year program and ranged from