The literature indicates that the quality of affective relationships between youth and
parents is associated with lower levels of a range of problem behaviors during childhood,
early and late adolescence. While the protective effect of parental monitoring on
substance use in the high school and post high school years has been demonstrated, there is a knowledge gap concerning effects of parent-child affective quality (PCAQ) during the same periods. We tested a conceptual theoretical model to examine the effects of PCAQ on substance use following high school. The sample was from a RCT that
assessed adolescents in rural Iowa from the seventh grade through two years after high
school (N=456). We specified direct effects of PCAQ in 12th grade on drunkenness,
smoking and illicit drug use during the two years immediately following high school
graduation. We also specified the effects of early substance use initiation (alcohol,
tobacco and marijuana use reported at baseline) on later use. The direct effect of PCAQ
in 12th grade on substance use was significant for all substances during at least one of
the two years past graduation (ypg). Results were: drunkenness 1 ypg, β=-.126, p<.05;
smoking 1 ypg, β=-.119, p<.05; 2 ypg, β=-.146, p<.05; illicit drug use 2 ypg, β=-.165,
p<.05. Some significant indirect effects of PCAQ at baseline, via PCAQ at 12th grade,
were found. Results also indicated significant direct effects of early initiation on two of
the three substances, albeit with a different pattern of effects over time for each
substance by years post high school. Importantly, while early initiation remains the
strongest predictor of long-term tobacco and illicit drug use, results show how PCAQ
might reduce its harmful effects.peer-reviewe
