Interplay of cultural beliefs, psychological disposition, and social milieu during childhood on development of substance use disorder by early adulthood.

This study prospectively examined the interplay of culturally ingrained beliefs regarding the benefits of substance use, social milieu featured by disengaged parents and deviant friends, and behavior undercontrol on the development of substance use disorder (SUD) by early adulthood. The sample at baseline consisted of 497 youths between 10 and 12 years of age. Subsequent evaluations were conducted when the participants attained 12-14, 16, and 22 years of age. The research protocol was composed of self-report, informant report, and performance measures. Positive beliefs about substance use effects were evaluated using the Adolescent Alcohol and Drug Expectancy Questionnaire. The social milieu was characterized by the environtype index encompassing parental engagement and normative behavior of friends. Behavior control was quantified using the neurobehavior disinhibition scale. Substance use frequency and intensity of reward experience during consumption were recorded using the Drug Use Screening Inventory and the Substance Use Questionnaire. The outcome variable, lifetime SUD, was diagnosed using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnosis. Structural equation modeling evaluated the association among these variables. Beliefs regarding the benefits of consumption mediated the associations of childhood social milieu with substance use frequency and reward intensity during the transition into adolescence. Reward intensity during this developmental period predicted consumption frequency and severity of behavior undercontrol in midadolescence, which conjointly predicted SUD by early adulthood. This study demonstrated that SUD manifested by early adulthood culminates from the coaction of acquired cultural beliefs, social context facilitating access to addictive chemicals, and suboptimal psychological self-regulation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).