Abstract
Alcohol-specific communication, a direct conversation between an adult and an adolescent regarding alcohol use, contains messages about alcohol relayed from the adult to the child. The current study examined the construct of alcohol-specific communication
and the effect of messages on adolescent alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. Parent-adolescent dyads were assessed
biannually for 3 years (grades 9–11 at wave 6) to examine these relations in a large longitudinal study of adolescents initially
in grades 6 through 8. An exploratory factor analysis identified two factors among alcohol-specific communication items, permissive
messages and negative alcohol messages. Results showed previous level of adolescent alcohol use moderated the relation between
permissive messages and alcohol use outcomes. Plotting of these interactions showed greater alcohol use and consequences with
increasing permissive messages in adolescents with higher versus lower levels of previous alcohol use. Results suggest that
parental messages regarding alcohol use may impact adolescent alcohol use beyond the effect of general parenting style and
parental alcohol use.
and the effect of messages on adolescent alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. Parent-adolescent dyads were assessed
biannually for 3 years (grades 9–11 at wave 6) to examine these relations in a large longitudinal study of adolescents initially
in grades 6 through 8. An exploratory factor analysis identified two factors among alcohol-specific communication items, permissive
messages and negative alcohol messages. Results showed previous level of adolescent alcohol use moderated the relation between
permissive messages and alcohol use outcomes. Plotting of these interactions showed greater alcohol use and consequences with
increasing permissive messages in adolescents with higher versus lower levels of previous alcohol use. Results suggest that
parental messages regarding alcohol use may impact adolescent alcohol use beyond the effect of general parenting style and
parental alcohol use.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-12
- DOI 10.1007/s11121-011-0227-4
- Authors
- Alison Reimuller, Department of Psychology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Davie Hall, CB#3270, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, USA
- Andrea Hussong, Department of Psychology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Davie Hall, CB#3270, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, USA
- Susan T. Ennett, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Journal Prevention Science
- Online ISSN 1573-6695
- Print ISSN 1389-4986