Explaining Educational Differences in Adolescent Substance Use and Sexual Activity: The Role of Conceptions and Expectations of Adulthood

Secondary school adolescents attending vocational tracks engage considerably more often in substance use and sexual activity compared to those attending academic tracks. Prior studies have sought explanations for these differences in higher levels of social-emotional problems among vocational students. This study presents a novel approach. Inspired by ethnographic and cultural studies, it examines the role of conceptions and expectations of adulthood in the association between educational track and adolescent substance use and sexual activity. Self-report data were collected among 1,568 Dutch adolescents by means of a web-based questionnaire. First, in a preliminary qualitative analysis, conceptions of adulthood were explored among vocational and academic students. Next, a mediation analysis was employed. Results of the qualitative analysis revealed that vocational and academic students had different conceptions of adulthood, with vocational students perceiving substance use and sexual activity more often as typical adult behaviors. The results of the quantitative analysis confirmed this finding and added that vocational students expect social role transitions earlier in life than academic students. Both factors mediated the association between educational track and adolescent substance use and sexual activity. Implications of the findings and future directions for research are discussed.