Citation

Pocuca N, Hides L, Quinn CA, White MJ, Mewton L, Newton NC, Slade T, Chapman C, Andrews G, Teesson M, Allsop S, McBride N. Addiction 2019; 114(3): 450-461.

Affiliation

National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/add.14469

PMID

30311281

Abstract

AIMS: (1) To classify Australian adolescents according to their alcohol consumption trajectories; and (2) to assess the direct and interactive effects of perceived peer drinking (PPD) and personality on adolescent drinking.

DESIGN: Prospective cohort study comprising secondary analysis of six waves of prospective data (collected between 2014 and 2016) from the control arm of the Climate Schools Combined Study. SETTING: Nineteen schools across three Australian states. PARTICIPANTS: 1,492 socio-demographically diverse students (Mean age at baseline: 13.47; 68% female; 82% born in Australia). MEASUREMENTS: Alcohol consumption trajectories were assessed using self-reported sipping of alcohol, full standard drink consumption, binge drinking, and quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption. PPD and personality were assessed using the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale.

FINDINGS: 864 (58%) adolescents consumed alcohol across the study period. Four drinking trajectories were identified: abstaining (n = 628; reference group); onset (n = 328; initiated after baseline); persistent (n = 495; initiated prior to baseline); and decreasing (n = 41; consumed alcohol at baseline but ceased or decreased thereafter). A significant PPD by anxiety sensitivity (AS) interaction affected probability of belonging to the onset (p <.001) and persistent (p =.003) trajectories. The effect of PPD on probability of belonging to the onset trajectory was only significant when adolescents reported low (95% CI [1.464- 2.646], p <.001), but not high AS. The effect of PPD on probability of belonging to the persistent drinking trajectory was stronger at low ([2.144- 3.283], p <.001), compared with high ([1.440- 2.308], p <.001) AS.

CONCLUSIONS: In Australian adolescents, self-reported drinking onset and persistent drinking appear to be more strongly associated with perceived peer drinking in those with low anxiety sensitivity than those with high anxiety sensitivity.

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Language: en

Keywords

adolescence; anxiety sensitivity; drinking onset; drinking trajectories; peer norms; personality