The Impact of Age of Onset of Substance Use on Delinquency

Abstract

A testable model is developed to examine the link between age of onset of substance use and delinquency. The model predicts that the effect of early substance use on delinquency is indirect through mediating variables—continuing alcohol and drug use, association with delinquent peers, and engaging in deviant activities. The model is tested with use of data from the Buffalo Longitudinal Survey of Young Men. The data support the model in general. Early substance use is significantly associated with continuing substance use, association with delinquent peers, and engaging in deviant activities, and through these intervening variables, affects delinquency. However, the mediating role of these intervening variables is different. Association with peers and engaging in deviant activities significantly mediate the effect of early substance use on all kinds of delinquency, whereas continuing substance use has modest mediating roles for the effect only on general and index delinquency.