Relations of perceived friends' and parents' pressure and attitudes toward drinking to alcohol use: Changes during adolescence

Keunho Park, Purdue University

Abstract

The major goal of this study was to determine whether there are changes during adolescence in the relations of attitudes and the perceived pressure of friends and parents toward drinking to reported drinking. Seventh, ninth, and eleventh graders were given a questionnaire. In order to assess perceived normative pressure, these adolescents were asked questions about whether they perceived that their friends and parents discouraged or encouraged their drinking. To measure attitudes toward drinking, adolescents were asked whether they believed that drinking would bring negative or positive consequences. Finally, they were asked about their intentions to drink in the near future and their current involvement in drinking. The results showed that seventh graders intended to drink less and were less involved in drinking than ninth and eleventh graders. Seventh graders reported greater pressure from friends against drinking than did ninth or eleventh graders. By contrast, perceived parental pressure did not vary with the age of the adolescents. All adolescents reported strong pressure from parents against drinking. Seventh graders expected more costs of drinking than ninth or eleventh graders did. Ninth graders also perceived more costs of drinking than eleventh graders. On the other hand, perceived benefits of drinking did not differ with age. Both perceived pressure of friends and parents and attitudes toward drinking were strongly associated with adolescents' drinking intentions and behavior. The impact of perceived friends' pressure on drinking was constant across the three age groups. However, parental pressure decreased in importance for explaining adolescents' drinking with increasing age. As age increased, perceived benefits were more strongly associated with adolescents' drinking. Conversely, perceived costs became more weakly associated with their drinking between seventh and eleventh grade. These results have important implications for the prevention of adolescent alcohol misuse. For younger adolescents, it may be most effective to emphasize the negative consequences of drinking. For older adolescents, it may be most effective to teach them how to enjoy themselves without using alcohol.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Berndt, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Developmental psychology

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