The Effects of Role Socialization on the Initiation of Cocaine Use: An Event History Analysis from Adolescence Into Middle Adulthood

This research examines three relatively unexplored questions about the effects of role socialization on the initiation of cocaine use: (1) What are the effects of adult social roles on the initiation of cocaine use? (2) What are the effects of the life-course timing of entry into adult social roles on the initiation of cocaine use? and (3) What are the effects of life-course timing of the initiation of other drugs-on the initiation of cocaine use? The data used in these analyses are from a national probability sample of men born between 1944 and 1954, inclusive (N = 1,933). Results indicate that the marital role was the only role which demonstrated a significant effect on the initiation of cocaine use. We find that either early or late entry into the marital role reduces its effect to nonsignificance. The timing of entry in the drug use roles indicates that the later the initiation of drug use the greater the odds of cocaine initiation. Results are discussed in light of the role socialization and developmental perspectives.