Citation

Fang L, Schinke SP, Cole KCA. Psychol. Addict. Behav. 2009; 23(4): 708-714.

Affiliation

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/a0016681

PMID

20025378

PMCID

PMC2799291

Abstract

Guided by family interaction theory, this study examined the influences of psychological, peer, and familial processes on alcohol use among young adolescent girls and assessed the contributions of familial factors. An ethnically diverse sample of 1,187 pairs of girls (M age = 12.83 years), and their mothers completed surveys online. Questionnaires assessed girls' lifetime and recent alcohol use, as well as girls' demographic, psychological, peer, and family characteristics. Hierarchical logistic regression models showed that although girls' drinking was associated with a number of psychological and peer factors, the contributions of family domain variables to girls' drinking were above and beyond that of psychological and peer factors. The interaction analyses further highlighted that having family rules, high family involvement, and greater family communication may offset risks in psychological and peer domains. Study findings underscore the multifaceted etiology of drinking among young adolescent girls and assert the crucial roles of familial processes. Prevention programs should be integrative, target processes at multiple domains, and include work with parents.

Language: en