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Peer and Parental Influences on Male Adolescent Drinking

NCJ Number
169746
Journal
Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 32 Issue: 14 Dated: (1997) Pages: 2121-2136
Author(s)
L Zhang; J W Welte; W F Wieczorek
Date Published
1997
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study compares the patterns of behavioral and attitudinal transmission by which parents and peers influence adolescent drinking.
Abstract
Data for the study come from the Buffalo Longitudinal Survey of Young Men, a 5-year panel study of substance abuse and delinquency among 625 Buffalo, NY, males aged 16-19. In addition to comparing the patterns of behavioral and attitudinal transmission of parents and peers, the study also assesses the relative importance of parents and peers in accounting for adolescent alcohol behavior. The findings indicate that both alcohol behavior and attitudes of parents and peers are significant predictors of adolescent drinking. However, the prediction patterns are reversed. Parental attitudes are more important than parental alcohol behavior, while peer alcohol behavior is more important than peer attitudes. Overall, peers have more influence on adolescent drinking than parents. There is a significant interaction of parental alcohol-related attitudes and age, which indicates that parental alcohol-related attitudes exert a greater effect on younger (age 16-17) males' alcohol use. Tables, figure, notes, references