Adolescent school belonging and substance use in young adulthood: findings from a multi-wave prospective cohort study

This study explored the longitudinal associations between multiple dimensions of school belonging during adolescence and substance use in young adulthood. Data were leveraged from the Australian Temperament Project, a comprehensive, multi-wave prospective cohort study. The current sample comprised 1565 participants (804 women). School belonging (1 wave; ages 15–16 years) was assessed using a condensed version of the School Life Questionnaire. Young adult substance use (3 waves; ages 19–28 years) assessments included binge drinking, tobacco, cannabis, and other illicit substances. Higher levels of overall school belonging were associated with reduced odds of tobacco, cannabis, and other illicit substance use in young adulthood (OR_range = 0.74–0.76), but not binge drinking. The dimensions ‘positive affect towards school’ and ‘confidence in ability/success’ were independently associated with reduced odds of tobacco (OR = 0.74 and 0.82, respectively) and cannabis (OR = 0.78 and 0.77, respectively) use in young adulthood. Effects did not differ by gender. These findings suggest that school belonging, particularly the dimensions of positive affect and academic confidence, may play an aetiological role in tobacco and illicit substance misuse in young adulthood.