Substance Use Patterns Among Adolescents in Europe: A Latent Class Analysis

BACKGROUND: Several researchers have investigated substance use patterns using a latent class analysis; however, hardly no studies exist on substance use patterns across countries. OBJECTIVES: Adolescent substance use patterns, demographic factors, and international differences in the prevalence of substance use patterns were explored. METHODS: Data from 25 European countries were used to identify patterns of adolescent (12-16 years, 50.6% female) substance use (N = 33,566). RESULTS: Latent class analysis revealed four substance use classes: nonusers (68%), low-alcohol users (recent use of beer, wine, and alcopops; 16.1%), alcohol users (recent use of alcohol and lifetime use of marijuana; 11.2%), and polysubstance users (recent use of alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drugs; 4.7%). Results support a general pattern of adolescent substance use across all countries; however, the prevalence rates of use patterns vary for each country. CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE: The present research provides insight into substance use patterns across Europe by using a large international adolescent sample, multidimensional indicators and a variety of substances. Substance use patterns are helpful when targeting policy and prevention strategies.