Session: Cross-National Comparisons of Young Adult Functioning and Alcohol Use in Australia and the US: Findings from the International Youth Development Study (Society for Prevention Research 26th Annual Meeting)

The International Youth Development Study (IYDS) began in 2002, and is a cross-national, longitudinal study of substance use, problem behavior, and functioning from adolescence into young adulthood (ages 13-25). The study draws on statewide representative samples recruited from middle schools in the State of Victoria (VIC), Australia, and the State of Washington (WA) in the US. Although VIC and WA were quite similar demographically when IYDS began, alcohol policies in the two states were very different, with VIC taking a harm reduction approach to youth substance use, and WA taking a zero-tolerance policy to youth substance use. Consequently, the IYDS provides a unique opportunity to investigate how national and state-level policies governing alcohol and other drug use affect the development of substance use, antisocial behavior, and functioning through age 25. Prior findings from analyses of IYDS data from ages 13-15 are consistent in showing higher levels of substance use and related risk factors in VIC versus WA. However, the etiologic and developmental processes that lead to substance use, problem behavior, and poor functioning during adolescence are highly similar across states. This panel presents analyses of cross-state differences and similarities in substance use, related problem behaviors, and young adult functioning at age 25. The panel chair, Dr. Catalano, will give a brief overview of the study and describe the sample including the rates of alcohol use and alcohol youth disorders both of which are higher in VIC. A question that the panel answers is whether there are similar or different predictors of alcohol use disorder, alcohol related problems and achieving developmental milestones in young adulthood. Paper 1 shows that the strength of the association between adolescent alcohol use and scores on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is not significantly different across the two states. This holds for both boys and girls. Paper 2 shows that AUDIT scores at age 25 are linked with common alcohol-related problems like drunk driving, anxiety/depression, interpersonal conflict, poor health, and homelessness to the same degree cross-nationally. Finally, Paper 3 uses latent class analysis to identify two groups of young adults in each country: those who are adapting well to young adulthood, and those who are struggling; although the same two groups were identified in each country, the struggling group was slightly smaller in WA. Taken together, these findings suggest that having grown up in a harm reduction policy context did not appear to a) reduce the impact of adolescent drinking on later alcohol problems, b) reduce the concurrent harms associated with alcohol misuse at age 25, or c) promote greater well-being in young adulthood for youth in VIC compared to WA. Policies aimed at preventing and delaying adolescent substance use may be more effective at reducing substance use and promoting well-being for young adults.