title: Problem behavior theory and adolescent alcohol use.
abstract: The prevalence of adolescent alcohol use has prompted interest in identifying the factors associated with its use. A comprehensive theory that provides a framework for understanding alcohol use is Jessor and Jessor's Problem Behavior Theory (PBT). We adopted PBT in a study of alcohol use among 226 Catholic high school students. PBT explained 38% of the variation in quantity-frequency of alcohol use and 31% of the variation in problem drinking. The three major systems (personality, perceived environment, behavioral) of the theory were about equally predictive of alcohol use.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D011582:Psychological Theory