Perceived academic performance and alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use: longitudinal relationships in young community adolescents.

OBJECTIVE To study longitudinal relationships between perception of academic performance (PAP) and alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use at age 13 and 15 years. METHOD Self-report data from students in 27 schools in South Australia (n=1579) was analysed with ANCOVA and logistic regression, controlling for confounding factors (socio-demographic, parenting, depressive symptoms, anxiety, self-esteem, antisocial behaviour). RESULTS Persistent or increasing perception of academic 'failure' (self-rated failing or below average performance), compared to improving or stable perception of average (or above) performance, from age 13 to 15 years, predicts more than weekly alcohol and tobacco use at age 15 (3- to 4-fold risks), in addition to increased risks from early substance use (e.g., 12- to 15-fold for triple combinations), controlling for confounders. Increased risks for more than weekly marijuana use at age 15 are 3-fold in those with increasing perception of failure; though relationships are fully mediated by antisocial behaviour in those with persistent perceptions of failure. CONCLUSION Interventions to maintain or improve academic self-esteem in early adolescence may reduce risks for accelerating substance use in mid-adolescence.