Correlates of ever having used electronic cigarettes among older adolescent children of alcoholic fathers

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have examined predictors of ever having used electronic cigarettes (or e-cigarettes) among older adolescents. This study examined correlates of ever having used e-cigarettes among adolescent children of alcoholic fathers.

METHODS: Participants were 136 adolescents (50.7% male, 89.4% European American) from an ongoing longitudinal case-control study of children of alcoholic fathers. Adolescents reported on their mother's and father's parenting during middle adolescence (MA; M age = 13.8) and completed measures of their own, as well as their peers', substance use during late adolescence (LA; M age = 17.0). Parents completed measures of their own substance use at the MA assessment.

RESULTS: More than one third (36.9%) of the participants reported ever using e-cigarettes. Parental monitoring during MA (odds ratio [OR] = 0.85, p < .05), lifetime use of cigarettes (OR = 3.88, p < .01), alcohol use (OR = 7.72, p < .05), marijuana use (OR = 4.07, p < .01), and peer substance use (OR = 1.34, p < .05) during LA were each uniquely associated with ever having used e-cigarettes. Ever having used e-cigarettes also was associated with more frequent current cigarette use (β = .38, p < .05), alcohol use (β = .30, p < .01), and marijuana use (β = .31, p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that ever having used e-cigarettes in LA is a risk marker for substance use. Interventions to promote parental monitoring may be effective in curbing use of e-cigarettes and other substances in LA.