Citation

Björklund C, Landberg J, Sivertsson F, Larm P. J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)

DOI

10.15288/jsad.22-00379

PMID

38206650

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol misuse and criminal offending often co-occur, and while previous studies indicate an overlap in risk factors, this evidence originates from studies focusing on either alcohol misuse or criminal offending. Co-occurrence might also stem from the severity or accumulation of risk factors. The aim of the following study was to examine whether risk factors for developing co-occurring alcohol misuse and criminal offending in adolescence are similar or unique, and to examine whether risk factors are more severe or accumulative compared to alcohol misuse only and criminal offending only.

METHOD: Data was used from the prospective longitudinal project Futura01, consisting of 4,013 randomly selected adolescents in Sweden (males=1,798). Outcomes and a wide variety of risk factors were measured by self-report at two timepoints. Logistic regression analysis was carried out on groups of (1) No behavior (reference), (2) Alcohol misuse only, (3) Criminal offending only, and (4) Co-occurring behaviors.

RESULTS: The findings indicated that similar factors predicted co-occurring behaviors for alcohol misuse only and criminal offending only. Regarding severity, only more severe sensation seeking was associated with co-occurring behaviors compared to alcohol misuse and criminal offending only. Instead, an accumulation of risks, i.e., more risk factors present, increased the probability of co-occurring behaviors compared to alcohol misuse only and criminal offending only.

CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the risk factors for developing co-occurring alcohol misuse and criminal offending in adolescence are similar rather than unique, and that it is the accumulation of the risk factors, as opposed to their severity, which is associated with co-occurring behaviors when comparing to alcohol misuse and criminal offending only.

Language: en