Journal article
Reference group influence on adolescent alcohol use
Journal of alcohol and drug education, Vol.47(2), pp.42-56
12/22/2002
Abstract
This study assessed the relative influence of the perceived level of support for an adolescent's alcohol use by best friends, most students in school, live-in parents/guardians and most adults in neighorbhood/community on adolescent current drinking, heavy drinking and frequent drinking prevalence rates. Anonymous self-reported questionnaires were completed by 83,669 students, most of the 6 th, 8 th, and 11 th grades enrolled in Iowa's public schools. Best friends perceived level of support proved to be most highly correlated with the decision by adolescents to use alcohol, but there was evidence that the influence of best friend's unequivocal approval of drinking could be significantly moderated by the perceived unequivocal disapproval of drinking by the other reference groups. There were some differences in the findings by sex and grade in school, as well as the different kinds of drinking behavior (any use and extent of use) investigates, and some, but not most, may have practical prevention planning consequences. Primary and secondary alcohol prevention programs that are designed to encourage unequivocal disapproval of drinking by any of the four reference groups have the potential to significantly reduce adolescent drinking-related prevalence rates. Prevention programs that include all four reference groups would be expected to have the most impact on adolescent drinking behaviors.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Reference group influence on adolescent alcohol use
- Creators
- J. L. Fitzgerald - M110 Oakdale Hall, University of Iowa, United StatesStephan Arndt - University of Iowa, United States
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of alcohol and drug education, Vol.47(2), pp.42-56
- ISSN
- 0090-1482
- eISSN
- 2162-4119
- Number of pages
- 15
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/22/2002
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; Biostatistics; Nursing; Injury Prevention Research Center
- Record Identifier
- 9985132186502771
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