EXCEED THE SPACE PROVIDED. 'J, The proposed research is a continuation of a longitudinal study of a female cohort originally recruited as adolescents, age 14-18, and followed-up to age 19-23. At initial recruitment, the adolescent subjects either qualified for d,DSM-III-R diagnosis of substance use disorder (SUD Group) or had no SUD or axis I disorder (Control Group). This application proposes to sustain the follow-upto age 24-28. fv The daunting challenges posed by the transition from adolescence to adulthood, in conjunction with the observed stability of SUD (78%) in our sample from age 14-18 to age 19-23, strongly suggest the likelihood of SUD continuity to age 24-28. The proposed research examines key individual and contextual factors fostering continuity of SUD and concomitant adverse outcomes from adolescence to adulthood and across generations. A cardinal objective of the proposed research is to demonstrate that the role of attachment constitutes an integral component of SUD liability. Specifically, research in the next 5 years will determine (1) the contribution of attachment quality (secure/insecure), executive cognitive functioning (e.g., planning, strategic thinking, cognitive flexibility) (ECF), and antisocial behavior (ASB), in interaction with male sexual partner violence to SUD diagnosis and severity at age 24-28, (2) the extent to which ECF, ASB, and male partner violence predict continuity of SUD from adolescence to young adulthood, and (3) the role of attachment quality in the inter- generational transmission of SUD liability. To our knowledge this is the only long-term investigative program aimed specifically at clarifying the etiology, course, and transmission of adolescent onset SUD in females. PERFORMANCE SITE ========================================Section End===========================================
