TY - JOUR PY - 2020// TI - Attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control associated with age of first use of cannabis among adolescents JO - Journal of school health A1 - Korn, Liat A1 - Haynie, Denise L. A1 - Luk, Jeremy W. A1 - Sita, Kellienne A1 - Simons-Morton, Bruce G. SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - BACKGROUND: Prevention of early age initiation of cannabis use is a national priority, highlighting the importance of identifying cannabis-specific attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control in relation to initiation age. METHODS: Data were from the NEXT Generation Health Study, a national longitudinal sample of US adolescents followed from 10th grade (N = 1850). Cannabis-specific attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control were assessed at 10th grade. Age of first use was reported retrospectively 2-3 years after high-school and participants were categorized as early initiators (<14 years; 3.8%), high-school (HS) initiators (14-18 years; 35.6%), post-HS initiators (>18 years; 8.3%), or never users (52.3%). RESULTS: Relative to never users, early initiators were more likely to endorse pro-use attitudes (AOR [adjusted odds ratio] = 2.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27-4.50), less disapproving parental attitudes toward use (AOR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.45-4.28), higher cannabis use among friends (AOR = 3.81, 95% CI = 2.21-6.60), and higher ease of access (AOR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.14-3.87); HS initiators were similarly more likely to report less disapproving attitudes toward use (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.25-1.91), higher cannabis use among friends (AOR = 2.81, 95% CI = 2.18-3.65), and higher ease of access (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.21-2.28). CONCLUSIONS: Earlier cannabis initiation was associated with more favorable cannabis attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, highlight these variables as potential intervention targets.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0022-4391 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/josh.12977 ID - ref1 ER -