Depressive Mood and Adolescent Illicit Drug Use: A Longitudinal Analysis

Summary Through the technique of Goodman's log linear method, longitudinal data are analyzed to clarify the relationship between depressive mood and illicit drug use among youths. A representative sample of adolescents (N = 8206) from New York State secondary schools was followed over one academic year. At one point in time, users of illicit drugs other than marihuana (multiple drug users) were significantly more depressed than either nonusers or users of marihuana only. Differing interactive relationships were found over time depending upon the drugs involved. Depressive mood was related to the onset of marihuana use among nonusers and to the termination of marihuana use among users. Depressive mood also predicted the use of other illicit drugs by marihuana users. While the beginning use of illicit drugs other than marihuana was positively associated with increased depressive mood, continued multiple drug use was related to reduced depressive mood.