Social Support Among Late Adolescent Users of Alcohol and Other Drugs

This study examined the impact of social support on the use of alcohol and other drugs among late adolescents. Additionally, the study analyzed the interactional effects of social support and the other independent variables: gender, age, and race. The findings of the study suggest that social support does influence the use of alchol and other drugs. However, the direction of influence varies with alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine and with various subgroups.     

Patterns of Alcohol and Marijuana Use at School

The problem of adolescent substance use has been examined extensively. Beyond simple prevalence estimates, however, little research has been conducted on substance use in the school context. The present investigation was an in‐depth study of students' attitudes and behaviors regarding alcohol and marijuana use during the school day. Based on a representative sample of 1123 high school students, this study assessed the frequency of alcohol and marijuana use at school among demographic subgroups, the accessibility of drugs in school, and students' perceived consequences of being caught using drugs in school. The results showed that male and Hispanic students had higher levels of drug use at school than female and white students, respectively; that school drug use increased with age, and that alcohol and marijuana were easily obtained and used on school grounds. A large percentage of students were not aware of the specific actions taken in their schools to punish drug use. The need for additional research on school‐related drug use is emphasized.     

Substance use, self-esteem, and depression among Asian American adolescents

The relationship of self-esteem and depression with alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use was tested in a California statewide sample of more than 4,300 Asian American high school students comprising five subgroups: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Vietnamese. Estimated prevalence rates of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use among males and females from these Asian American subgroups are presented. Correlations revealed that cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use were generally more related to high depression and low self-esteem in females than in males. Logistic regression analysis with only the female subjects investigated whether the relationship between the psychological variables and ATOD use was maintained even after controlling for traditionally important constructs in ATOD use (grade level in school, born in the United States, ethnicity, and ATOD use by friends). These results indicated that for females, depression was significantly related to alcohol and tobacco use, but self-esteem was not. Neither self-esteem nor depression was a significant contributor to marijuana use. Issues related to the application of these results are discussed.     

Empowerment in Coalitions Targeting Underage Drinking: Differential Effects of Organizational Characteristics for Volunteers and Staff

Social work has adopted the Grand Challenge to reduce and prevent alcohol misuse and related consequences. This study extends previous research through a macro examination of distinct roles within coalitions implementing prevention strategies targeting underage alcohol use. The purpose was to determine whether hypothesized relationships among organizational characteristics, empowerment variables, and perceived effectiveness differed for 2 subgroups (i.e., volunteers and paid staff). The sample was comprised of 357 survey participants affiliated with a statewide substance abuse initiative. Structural equation modeling was used to examine hypothesized relationships between study variables and found differences among subgroups. Results can inform organizational processes within coalitions that focus on engaging different groups to have a stronger impact on community issues, such as substance use consequences.     

Gender by Preferred Gambling Activity in Treatment Seeking Problem Gamblers: A Comparison of Subgroup Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes

Problem gambling is a growing public health concern and treatment incompletion levels remain high. The study aims to support and extend previous studies in relation to the heterogeneity of the gambling population based on gender and gambling type, and the implications of subgroup differences on treatment outcomes. Additionally, the concept of drop-out is addressed in terms of categorical treatment measures. The empirical findings are examined in the context of the theoretical framework of the pathways model. Participants were recruited from the Statewide Gambling Therapy Service and stratified into subgroups based on gender and gambling mode preference [Electronic Gambling Machines (EGM) or track race betters]. Baseline predictors collected and analysed using multinomial logistical regression included demographic information as well as gambling variables, while treatment outcomes consisted of three therapist rated measures. Significant differences between the subgroups were found for age, marital and employment status, gambling duration, alcohol use and the Kessler 10 measure of psychological distress. Specifically, male track race gamblers were younger, married, employed, had a longer duration of gambling, higher alcohol use and lower psychological distress relative to EGM users. No difference was found in any of the treatment outcomes, however, consistent with previous studies, all subgroups had high treatment incompletion levels. The findings demonstrate the importance of screening, assessing and treating problem gamblers as a heterogeneous group with different underlying demographics and psychopathologies. It is also hoped future studies will continue to address treatment incompletion with a re-conceptualisation of the term drop-out.     

Friendship and Alcohol Use in Early Adolescence: A Multilevel Social Network Approach

This study applies multilevel social network analytic techniques to examine processes of homophilic selection and social influence related to alcohol use among friends in early adolescence. Participants included 3,041 Dutch youth (M age =12 years, 49% female) from 120 classrooms in 14 schools. Three waves with 3‐month intervals of friendship nomination data and self‐reports of drinking behavior were collected. Results revealed that within classrooms, friendship nominations tended to be reciprocated and dyadic friendships tended to be embedded within cohesive subgroups (e.g., cliques). Students tended to nominate friends who were the same sex, from a similar ethnic background, and who they previously knew from primary school. Selection processes turned out to play a more significant role than social influence processes in predicting similarity between early adolescent friends' alcohol use. Although friendship dynamics and individual drinking trajectories substantially differed between classrooms, the effects of homophilic selection and social influence did not.     

Moderators of the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Alcohol Consumption in College Students

Abstract

Objective: Among college students, several studies have found a positive relationship between physical activity and alcohol use. The current study tested gender, Greek status, and ethnicity as potential moderators of the physical activity-alcohol use relationship. Participants: Participants were college freshmen (n = 310) endorsing alcohol/drug use. Methods: Students completed questionnaires assessing a number of health behaviors. Results: Results indicated that gender and Greek status were significant moderators of the relationship between physical activity and alcohol consumption. There was a positive relationship between physical activity and alcohol use for men and Greeks, but not for females and non-Greeks. Conclusions: These findings suggest that exercise does not serve as a protective factor for any of the subgroups of college students studied and is positively associated with drinking among college students who are men and/or involved with the Greek system.     

Exposure to Parent and Peer Alcohol Use and the Risk of Drinking Onset and Escalation Among Adolescents

Although the rate of alcohol use among adolescents has declined, it remains their drug of choice. Parent and peer alcohol use are powerful risk factors for youth alcohol use. However, questions remain about how these factors influence underage drinking. The present study investigates the relationship between exposure to parent or peer alcohol use and two stages of adolescent drinking—onset and escalation—overall and at five age points during adolescence. Participants were 9348 adolescents in Waves I (WI) and II (WII) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, whose parents completed interviews at WI, and who identified themselves as either non-drinkers or experimental drinkers at WI. Reports of WII alcohol use were used to measure onset among WI non-drinkers and escalation among WI experimenters. Risk ratios were calculated to assess the overall impact of exposure to parent or peer alcohol use on onset and escalation, and at five age points (i.e., ≤?13, 14, 15, 16, and ≥?17). Findings show that exposure to either parent or friend alcohol use increased the risk of onset and escalation. Age-based analyses reveal a more nuanced relationship, showing variability in the nature and strength of influence by stage of drinking and by age. This study highlights the relevance of both parent and peer modeling on youth drinking throughout adolescence. Implications in advancing prevention and treatment include parental education about the impact of their own behaviors and the importance of monitoring teens’ friendships.     

The Grand Challenge of Reducing Gender and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Service Access and Needs Among Adults with Alcohol Misuse

This study examined the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on gender and racial and ethnic disparities in accessing and using behavioral health services among a national sample of adults who reported heavy or binge alcohol use (n = 52,496) and those with alcohol use disorder (AUD; n = 22,966). Difference-in-differences models estimated service-related disparities before (2008–2009) and after (2011–2014) health care reform. A subanalysis was conducted before (2011–2013) and after (2014) full implementation of the ACA. Asian subgroups among respondents with heavy or binge drinking were excluded from substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and unmet need outcome models due to insufficient cell size. Among heavy or binge drinkers, unmet SUD treatment need decreased among Black women and increased among Black men. Mental health (MH) treatment decreased among Asian men, whereas unmet MH treatment need decreased among Hispanic men. MH treatment increased among Hispanic women with AUD. Although there were improvements in service use and access among Black and Hispanic women and Hispanic men, there were setbacks among Black and Asian men. Implications for social workers are discussed.     

Engaging communities to prevent underage drinking

Community-based efforts offer broad potential for achieving population-level reductions in alcohol misuse among youth and young adults. A common feature of successful community strategies is reliance on local coalitions to select and fully implement preventive interventions that have been shown to be effective in changing factors that influence risk of youth engaging in alcohol use, including both proximal influences and structural and/or environmental factors related to alcohol use. Inclusion of a universal, school-based prevention curriculum in the larger community-based effort is associated with the reduction of alcohol use by youth younger than 18 years of age and can help reach large numbers of youth with effective alcohol misuse prevention.     

The co-occurrence of depression and alcohol dependence symptoms in a community sample of lesbians

Numerous studies have found an association between depression and alcohol use disorders in women. Little is known, however, about the relationship between depression and alcohol use among lesbians. We examined the prevalence of depression and alcohol dependence symptoms as well as the co-occurrence of these two health problems in a large community-based sample of women who self-identified as lesbian. Past year alcohol dependence symptoms were significantly associated with both past year and lifetime depression. Lifetime depression was higher among White and Latina lesbians than among African American lesbians. Younger women and those not currently in a committed relationship more commonly reported past year depression. Younger age was the strongest predictor of the co-occurrence of depression and alcohol dependence symptoms.     

Should They Stay or Should They Go: Greek Housing on Campus as Substance Use Prevention?

Greek life on college campuses offers many student benefits, including leadership skills and career networking, but is also associated with risk factors such as excessive alcohol use. This cross-sectional study compares hazardous alcohol and drug use, and use of protective behavioral strategies among non-Greek and Greek-affiliated students at 2 universities and differences among students at a university that offers on-campus Greek housing and a college with off-campus Greek housing. Findings reveal that Greek-affiliated students report more alcohol use, and no difference in drug use or in protective behavioral strategies, than non-Greek students. Among Greek students, those living in on-campus Greek housing report significantly lower alcohol use than students residing in off-campus Greek housing. Regardless of Greek status, students at the college with off-campus Greek housing are significantly more likely to use alcohol and marijuana in a fraternity or sorority house than students at the university with on-campus Greek housing.     

Impact of Parenting Behaviors on Recent Alcohol Use Among African American Students

Parenting is a critical factor in substance abuse prevention. Positive parenting behaviors are identified as a protective factor for substance abuse among youth. Limited research exists that investigates the role of parenting practices on minority youth substance use. The present study seeks to examine correlates between parenting and recent alcohol use among African American youth. Specifically, to what extent do African American students report experiencing specific parenting behaviors that are measured by the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health?, do specific parenting behaviors increase the risk of recent alcohol use among African American youth?, does the impact of parenting behaviors on recent alcohol use among African American youth differ based on sex (males and females) and age category (12–13, 14–15, and 16–17 years old) were examined in this study? Logistic regression analysis of the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health was conducted to examine the research questions. Findings indicated that parenting behaviors was associated with recent alcohol among youth. Significant differences were found for males, females, 12–13, 14–15, and 16–17 years olds. Study findings demonstrate the importance of positive parenting behaviors in youth alcohol prevention. Program specialists may target parenting as a means of preventing and reducing youth alcohol use among African American youth.     

Date fighting experiences among college students: are they associated with other health-risk behaviors?

OBJECTIVE: The authors examined the clustering of health-risk behaviors among college students who reported date fight involvement. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The authors administered a Web-based survey to a stratified random sample of 3,920 college students from 10 universities in North Carolina. RESULTS: Among men, 5.6% reported date fight victimization, and 1% reported date fight perpetration. Victimization among men was associated with (1) first drink at age 15 years or younger, (2) a recent threat of violence by someone who had been drinking, (3) smoking, (4) amphetamine use, and (5) older age. Among women, 6.7% reported date fight victimization, which was associated with (1) older age, (2) assault from a student who had been drinking, (3) sex with 2 or more persons, (4) consumption of alcohol in high school, (5) illegal drug use, (6) nonsexual assault requiring medical treatment, and (7) living off campus. Of the women, 4.2% reported date fight perpetration, which was associated with (1) minority race/ethnicity, (2) older age, (3) frequency of sexual intercourse, and (4) alcohol and marijuana use. CONCLUSIONS: Date fight experiences were associated with multiple health-risk behaviors among this sample of college students.     

“Priestesses unto the Most High God”: Gender,Agency, and the Politics of LDS Women’s Temple Rites

This study builds upon previous research on religious women’s agency by drawing from in-depth interviews with active Latter-day Saint (LDS) women to examine the interconnections among LDS temple initiatory rituals, religious identity, and institutional patriarchy. Interviews reveal the ways in which the women in this study used ritual movements, vestments, and symbols to challenge Mormon patriarchy and reimagine themselves as “priestesses unto the Most High God.” The women forged oppositional identities not through resistance but through observance. Despite the construction of these alternative identities, their stories highlight the diverse mechanisms through which the LDS Church appropriates, manages, and suppresses women’s priestess beliefs and identities in ways that maintain the patriarchal organization of the Church. Mechanisms, including the pervasive culture of shaming, silencing, and disciplining LDS women, are explored and implications for the sociology of religion are discussed.     

Attitudinal and normative predictors of alcohol use by older adolescents and young adults

A model of alcohol use based on the theory of planned behavior, expectancy theory, and the developmental literature on the influence of parents and peers was examined with 87 eleventh grade students, 105 college freshmen, and 107 college juniors. Specifically, the influence of attitudes about the positive and negative consequences of drinking, perceived parental and peer norms about alcohol consumption, and perceived control over drinking predicted self-reported alcohol use. The results suggest that, during adolescence, decisions to consume alcohol are rational, based on the consideration of the positive consequences of alcohol use and perceptions of control over drinking; however, the negative consequences of alcohol use are discounted. While perceived peer norms predicted alcohol consumption in all three age groups, the influence of perceived parental norms varied such that they predicted alcohol use only among the college juniors. Implications and avenues for future research are discussed.     

Risk Factors for Alcohol Use in the United States, 1947–2005

ABSTRACT

National public opinion polls that were conducted from 1947 to 2005 found that Americans' reported alcohol consumption remained fairly constant. Although alcohol use has remained consistent, the findings reveal that consumption levels vary by age, gender, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The results also show an increase in the number of reported problems within families that are due to excessive alcohol consumption. This article examines the differences in alcohol consumption levels related to these various demographic factors and explores the impact of alcohol use among families and implications for social work practice.     

Between Sacral Belief and Moral Community: A Multidimensional Approach to the Relationship Between Religion and Alcohol Among Whites and Blacks

This study explores the conditions under which two dimensions of religion first specified by Durkheim (1995), the normative and the integrative, may be related to a particular aspect of alcohol use among white and black adults. The analysis compares those denominations that oppose the use of alcohol to those that do not, while simultaneously examining the effects of the relative strength of the commitment to the religious community on the risk for dependency. Because a substantially large sample drawn from 41 mid-sized cities nationwide is employed, the study is able to expand the set of denominations considered, and, more importantly, to conduct a more refined analysis of differences between black and white respondents than is typically possible. The findings indicate that although effects due to religious denomination are certainly a factor in the risk for dependency, this is much more so the case among whites than among blacks. By contrast, among blacks, frequency of church attendance, a measure of integration, is a more powerful predictor of risk than it is for whites. These results suggest that to more fully comprehend the manner in which alcohol use and religion are linked, especially in the black community, the organizational nature of the church—and not solely its denomination—needs to be considered in the attempt to assess the risk of alcohol dependency.     

A covariance structure model test of antecedents of adolescent alcohol misuse and a prevention effort

As part of an alcohol misuse prevention evaluation, questionnaires were administered to 4,157 junior high school students to determine levels of alcohol misuse, exposure to peer use and misuse of alcohol, susceptibility to peer pressure, internal health locus of control, and self-esteem. A conceptual model of the antecedents of adolescent alcohol misuse and the effectiveness of a prevention effort was tested using covariance structure modeling techniques. The factor loadings for the model were all moderate to high, indicating that the observed variables served well as measurement instruments for the latent variables. The hypothesized structural relationships among the latent variables of alcohol misuse, exposure to peer use and misuse of alcohol, susceptibility to peer pressure, internal health locus of control, and self-esteem were supported by the data. The full model explained 45 percent of the variance in alcohol misuse in the analysis based on the total sample. The direct effect of the intervention on alcohol misuse was small but significant in the hypothesized direction. The direct effects of the intervention on susceptibility to peer pressure and internal health locus of control were not significant. The model was tested separately for groups of students who had high versus low scores on susceptibility to peer pressure in order to test the interaction between susceptibility to peer pressure and exposure to peer use and misuse of alcohol. The percentage of variance accounted for in alcohol misuse did not increase upon testing the model separately for students who had high versus low scores on susceptibility to peer pressure. Observed differences in the significance of the parameter estimates between the high and low susceptibility to peer pressure groups suggest that different approaches to the design and evaluation of substance abuse prevention programs may be necessary for different subgroups of students.     

The role of alcohol use in intimate partner violence and non-intimate partner violence

Alcohol use is a risk factor for violent victimization in general, and intimate partner violence in particular. However, there has been limited empirical attention on whether alcohol use is more often associated with IPV or non-IPV offenses. Further, few studies on the association between alcohol use and victimization have assessed for incident-specific alcohol use, or examined both victim and perpetrator alcohol use. We used data from the National Violence Against Women Survey to determine if incident-specific alcohol use is more prevalent in IPV or non-IPV physical assaults, and to determine if the association varied by gender. Results indicated that among women, perpetrator alcohol use was twice as likely in IPV incidents than in non-IPV incidents, but among men, perpetrator alcohol use was four times less likely in IPV incidents than in non-IPV incidents. Our results highlight the important role of gender in understanding the association between alcohol use and victimization risk.