(PS1-28) The Associations Between Adolescent Resilience, Substance Use Expectancies, and Perception of Peer Substance Use

Abstract Text: Adolescence (ages 10-19) is a critical developmental period marked by a heightened susceptibility to engage in risky behaviors, including experimentation with substance use. Early-onset substance use may lead to significant and detrimental long-term consequences such as impaired brain development, a higher risk of developing substance use disorder, poor academic performance, and even death. One of the most influential factors driving adolescent substance use is the perception of peer substance use, which can influence substance use expectancies, early onset of use, and progression. However, many adolescents do not fully recognize the risks of substance use, making it necessary to investigate what factors may protect adolescents from substance misuse. One of these factors is resilience, which can impact susceptibility to the perception of peer use and adolescent substance use, helping protect adolescents from negative health outcomes. The current study aims to determine the relationship between resilience and adolescent substance use expectancies through the perception of peer substance use of cigarettes/vapes, alcohol, and marijuana. Participants were 560 adolescents in sixth through ninth grade (50% female; 43.3% Latinx; ages approximately 11-15) recruited from three large schools across the United States with more than 41% of students receiving free/reduced-price (FRPL) lunch. Resilience was shown to be a significant negative predictor of perception of peer cigarette/vape use, above and beyond the effect of year in school. The results indicate that perception and expectancies of individual substances vary in their relationship with resilience, where certain substances may be more related to resilience than others. This study offers a foundation for future research on the interplay between substance use expectancies, perception of peer substance use, resilience, and sociodemographic factors, and provides direction for targeted interventions and prevention strategies.