Developmental Trajectories of Cocaine/Crack Use Among Juvenile Offenders: PTSD as a Risk Factor

Abstract

Cocaine and crack are illicit drugs linked to numerous health issues. Despite the public health issues which these drugs present, there has yet to be an examination of the heterogeneity which exists in the developmental course of use of these drugs among a group at-risk for substance abuse: juvenile offenders. Furthermore, the role that posttraumatic stress disorder plays for predicting developmental patterns of use of these drugs has yet to be investigated either. The present research analyzed data from a sample of 1,354 juvenile offenders using group-based trajectory modeling and multinomial logistic regression to examine these phenomena. Results indicated that a five-group trajectory model best fit the data. Meeting criteria for a lifetime diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder at baseline predicted assignment to the Accelerating and Moderate Chronic groups. These results indicate that juvenile offenders are at-risk for participation in cocaine/crack use and patterns of use which extend into adulthood.