The Effects of Alcohol and Illegal Drug Use on Initial Family Formation

描述（由申请人提供）：这项研究旨在建立在我们对进入成年期的青少年使用酒精和非法药物的后果的了解的基础上。具体来说，它研究了以前和现在使用酒精和非法药物对以下方面的影响：(1)选择同居、结婚和不结合的父母身份作为第一个成年家庭形式；(2)进入成年家庭生活的时机。它的目的是促进提高药物使用预防方案的质量、效力和效率，主要是那些在最初的家庭建设过程中针对妇女和少数民族的方案。本研究将使用至少五波1979年全国青年纵向调查的青年成人数据来检查酒精和非法药物使用对男性和女性组建第一家庭的影响；黑人、西班牙裔和白人；无论是市区居民还是非市区居民。估计多项逻辑回归模型，以检验酒精和非法药物使用是否影响所有受试者的初始成人家庭形式的选择，然后在人口亚组内。嵌套模型估计包括控制儿童条件和年轻人的当前特征。采用相同的嵌套模型设计，然后估计离散时间事件历史模型，以测试酒精和非法药物使用是否影响所有受试者的第一个成人家庭形成时间，然后在人口亚组内。过早或婚前生孩子，在异常年轻或高龄的时候第一次与伴侣结婚或浪漫地生活，可能会对个人、家庭和社会造成伤害。如果酒精和非法药物的使用影响到人们对组建家庭的选择，它可能会导致更差的结果和更低的幸福感。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This study intends to build on our knowledge of the consequences of alcohol and illegal drug use among adolescents entering adulthood. Specifically, it examines the effects of prior and current alcohol and illegal drug use on (1) the choice among cohabitation, marriage, and non-union parenthood as the first adult family form and (2) the timing of entry into adult family life. It aims to contribute to improving the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of substance use prevention programs, chiefly those aimed at women and minorities during the initial family-building process. This study will employ at least five waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Young Adult data to examine the effects of alcohol and illegal drug use on first family formation for men and women; Blacks, Hispanics, and whites; and metro and non-metro residents. Multinomial logistic regression models are estimated to test whether alcohol and illegal drug use influences the choice of initial adult family form among all subjects and then within population subgroups. Nested models are estimated that include controls for childhood conditions and current characteristics of the young adults. Employing the same nested model design, discrete-time event history models are then estimated to test whether alcohol and illegal drug use affects the timing of first adult family formation among all subjects and then within population subgroups. Having children early or before marriage and getting married or romantically living with a partner for the first time at an unusually young or old age may cause harm to individuals, families, and society. If alcohol and illegal drug use matters to the choices people make about starting their families, it may contribute to poorer outcomes and lower well-being.