Adolescent Substance Use Among High School Students Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study of Peer Exposure and Risk.
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| Title: | Adolescent Substance Use Among High School Students Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study of Peer Exposure and Risk. |
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| Authors: | Weerakoon, Sitara M. (AUTHOR), Simmons, Sydney C. (AUTHOR), Connors, Elizabeth H. (AUTHOR), Genovese, Maegan (AUTHOR), Clark, Kathryn (AUTHOR), Awad, Michael (AUTHOR), Tebes, Jacob K. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Substance Use & Misuse. 2026, Vol. 61 Issue 6, p890-898. 9p. |
| Subjects: | Substance abuse risk factors, Substance abuse prevention, Substance abuse, Risk assessment, Cross-sectional method, High schools, Research funding, T-test (Statistics), Psychology of high school students, Affinity groups, Parenting, Descriptive statistics, Chi-squared test, Mann Whitney U Test, Teenagers' conduct of life, Data analysis software, COVID-19 pandemic, School health services |
| Geographic Terms: | New England |
| Abstract: | Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted schooling for many during the middle-to-high school transition, a critical period for initiation of substance use. This study examines how reduced in-school peer exposure was associated with substance use patterns among ninth and tenth graders before and after the pandemic. Objectives: To examine the relationship between differential in-school peer exposure to substance use patterns among ninth and tenth graders before and after the pandemic. Methods: We conducted a repeated cross-sectional study of ninth and tenth graders (total N = 2,024) from a large US high school, using annual in-school survey data from 2017–2019 (N = 1,550) and 2023 (N = 474). We compared substance use prevalence and risk factors pre- and post-pandemic. Results: The pre-pandemic sample was 48% boys and the post-pandemic sample was 57% boys. Ninth graders (one year less exposure to in-school peers) had significant declines pre- to post-pandemic in 30-day alcohol use (13% to 7%), 30-day e-cigarette use (12% to 7%), lifetime alcohol use (31% to 20%), lifetime marijuana use (18% to 10%), and lifetime e-cigarette use(23% to 13%). Tenth graders (one additional year of in-school peer exposure) did not experience similar declines. Perceived substance use accessibility increased among ninth graders pre- to post-pandemic (mean risk perception score: 3.18 to 3.33, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Less in-school peer exposure during a critical developmental period was associated with reduced substance use initiation and progression. These findings highlight the importance of in-school exposure to peers in adolescent substance use trajectories. Future research should investigate specific mechanisms of peer influence—such as substance availability on campus—to inform targeted prevention and early intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Substance Use & Misuse is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 192656632 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Adolescent Substance Use Among High School Students Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study of Peer Exposure and Risk. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Weerakoon%2C+Sitara+M%2E%22">Weerakoon, Sitara M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Simmons%2C+Sydney+C%2E%22">Simmons, Sydney C.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Connors%2C+Elizabeth+H%2E%22">Connors, Elizabeth H.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Genovese%2C+Maegan%22">Genovese, Maegan</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Clark%2C+Kathryn%22">Clark, Kathryn</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Awad%2C+Michael%22">Awad, Michael</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tebes%2C+Jacob+K%2E%22">Tebes, Jacob K.</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Substance+Use+%26+Misuse%22">Substance Use & Misuse</searchLink>. 2026, Vol. 61 Issue 6, p890-898. 9p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Substance+abuse+risk+factors%22">Substance abuse risk factors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Substance+abuse+prevention%22">Substance abuse prevention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Substance+abuse%22">Substance abuse</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Risk+assessment%22">Risk assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cross-sectional+method%22">Cross-sectional method</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+schools%22">High schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22T-test+%28Statistics%29%22">T-test (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+of+high+school+students%22">Psychology of high school students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Affinity+groups%22">Affinity groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parenting%22">Parenting</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chi-squared+test%22">Chi-squared test</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mann+Whitney+U+Test%22">Mann Whitney U Test</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teenagers'+conduct+of+life%22">Teenagers' conduct of life</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19+pandemic%22">COVID-19 pandemic</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+health+services%22">School health services</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22New+England%22">New England</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted schooling for many during the middle-to-high school transition, a critical period for initiation of substance use. This study examines how reduced in-school peer exposure was associated with substance use patterns among ninth and tenth graders before and after the pandemic. Objectives: To examine the relationship between differential in-school peer exposure to substance use patterns among ninth and tenth graders before and after the pandemic. Methods: We conducted a repeated cross-sectional study of ninth and tenth graders (total N = 2,024) from a large US high school, using annual in-school survey data from 2017–2019 (N = 1,550) and 2023 (N = 474). We compared substance use prevalence and risk factors pre- and post-pandemic. Results: The pre-pandemic sample was 48% boys and the post-pandemic sample was 57% boys. Ninth graders (one year less exposure to in-school peers) had significant declines pre- to post-pandemic in 30-day alcohol use (13% to 7%), 30-day e-cigarette use (12% to 7%), lifetime alcohol use (31% to 20%), lifetime marijuana use (18% to 10%), and lifetime e-cigarette use(23% to 13%). Tenth graders (one additional year of in-school peer exposure) did not experience similar declines. Perceived substance use accessibility increased among ninth graders pre- to post-pandemic (mean risk perception score: 3.18 to 3.33, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Less in-school peer exposure during a critical developmental period was associated with reduced substance use initiation and progression. These findings highlight the importance of in-school exposure to peers in adolescent substance use trajectories. Future research should investigate specific mechanisms of peer influence—such as substance availability on campus—to inform targeted prevention and early intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Substance Use & Misuse is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=192656632 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/10826084.2025.2583462 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 9 StartPage: 890 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Substance abuse risk factors Type: general – SubjectFull: Substance abuse prevention Type: general – SubjectFull: Substance abuse Type: general – SubjectFull: Risk assessment Type: general – SubjectFull: Cross-sectional method Type: general – SubjectFull: High schools Type: general – SubjectFull: Research funding Type: general – SubjectFull: T-test (Statistics) Type: general – SubjectFull: Psychology of high school students Type: general – SubjectFull: Affinity groups Type: general – SubjectFull: Parenting Type: general – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Chi-squared test Type: general – SubjectFull: Mann Whitney U Test Type: general – SubjectFull: Teenagers' conduct of life Type: general – SubjectFull: Data analysis software Type: general – SubjectFull: COVID-19 pandemic Type: general – SubjectFull: School health services Type: general – SubjectFull: New England Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Adolescent Substance Use Among High School Students Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study of Peer Exposure and Risk. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Weerakoon, Sitara M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Simmons, Sydney C. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Connors, Elizabeth H. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Genovese, Maegan – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Clark, Kathryn – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Awad, Michael – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Tebes, Jacob K. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: 2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10826084 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 61 – Type: issue Value: 6 Titles: – TitleFull: Substance Use & Misuse Type: main |
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