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Sequence of alcohol involvement from early onset to young adult alcohol abuse: differential predictors and moderation by family‐focused preventive intervention
Author(s) -
Mason W. Alex,
Spoth Richard L.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03987.x
Subject(s) - hostility , psychological intervention , psychology , alcohol abuse , poison control , alcohol , young adult , moderation , injury prevention , aggression , clinical psychology , suicide prevention , alcohol dependence , psychiatry , medicine , developmental psychology , social psychology , environmental health , biochemistry , chemistry
Aims This study tests risk factors for four dimensions of alcohol use in the sequence from (i) early onset prior to age 13 to (ii) adolescent alcohol use and (iii) alcohol problems to (iv) young adult alcohol abuse. It also examines whether family‐focused preventive interventions buffer predictive relationships. Design Data were from a randomized prevention trial extending from ages 11 to 21 years. Setting Families of sixth graders enrolled in 33 rural schools in the M idwestern U nited S tates were invited to participate. Participants Families ( n = 667) were pretested and assigned randomly to a control group ( n = 208) or to family interventions ( n = 459). The average age of participating youth was 11.3 years when the study began (52% female). Measurements Questionnaire data were collected on alcohol dimensions during adolescence (early onset, alcohol use, alcohol problems) and young adulthood (alcohol abuse), and on risk factors in early adolescence (male gender, impulsive behaviors, aggression–hostility, peer deviance and parent problem drinking). Findings Impulsive behaviors predicted early onset, peer deviance predicted alcohol use and parent problem drinking predicted alcohol problems ( P < 0.05). Aggression–hostility and alcohol problems predicted alcohol abuse in the control group ( P < 0.05), but not in the family interventions group ( P > 0.05). Conclusions Different dimensions of alcohol use and problems from before age 13 to young adulthood are predicted by different risk factors. Family‐focused preventive interventions can reduce the influence of some of these risk factors, including early adolescent aggression–hostility and late adolescent alcohol problems.