Citation

Lynch AD, Coley RL, Sims J, Lombardi CM, Mahalik JR. Psychol. Health 2015; 30(10): 1183-1205.

Affiliation

a Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology , Boston College, Lynch School of Education , Campion Hall 309, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/08870446.2015.1040017

PMID

25913368

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study considered the unique and interactive roles of social norms from parents, friends, and schools in predicting developmental trajectories of adolescent drinking and intoxication. DESIGN AND OUTCOME MEASURES: Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which followed adolescents (N=18,921) for thirteen years, we used discrete mixture modeling to identify unique developmental trajectories of drinking and of intoxication. Next, multilevel multinomial regression models examined the role of alcohol-related social norms from parents, friends, and schoolmates in the prediction of youths' trajectory group membership.

RESULTS: Results demonstrated that social norms from friends, parents, and schoolmates that were favorable towards alcohol use uniquely predicted drinking and intoxication trajectory group membership. Interactions between social norms revealed that schoolmate drinking played an important moderating role, frequently augmenting social norms from friends and parents. The current findings suggest that social norms from multiple sources (parents, friends, schools) work both independently and interactively to predict longitudinal trajectories of adolescent alcohol use.

CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight the need to identify and understand social messages from multiple developmental contexts in efforts to reduce adolescent alcohol consumption and alcohol-related risk taking.

Language: en