Abstract
The transition from adolescence to adulthood is an important and sometimes difficult time in the life
course. If this transition is negotiated successfully, it has positive consequences for subsequent adult life. Yet,
adolescent drug use often obstructs the achievement of positive adult functioning and increases the risk for
continued substance abuse in adulthood. This paper examines the relationships between adolescent substance
use, the successful transition to adulthood, and adult drug abuse and dependence. We identify eight
dimensions of successful adult development and measurable indicators for each. Using data from a
prospective, longitudinal study, we find that at age 24 about half of the sample has made the transition
successfully along almost all dimensions, 42 percent in many dimensions, and 8 percent in very few
dimensions. Regression analyses show that adolescent drug use (age 13-18) decreases the likelihood of
successfully transitioning to adulthood and increases the chance of alcohol and drug abuse and dependence
by age 24. The successful transition to adulthood has an indirect effect on continued substance abuse and
dependence at age 27 through its negative association with substance abuse and dependence at age 24.
Convention