[Effect of temperament, effect of alcohol expectancies and peer group on amount of drinking and alcohol-related problems in adolescence].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate the relationship between temperament (novelty seeking, harm avoidance and reward dependence), alcohol expectancies, membership in a deviant/substance-using peergroup and drinking behaviour of adolescents drawn from a general population.


METHODS
147 adolescents about 15 years of age were interviewed and completed several self-rating questionnaires. We gathered additional information by interviewing their parents. One year after the initial assessment the adolescents only were interviewed and given questionnaires again.


RESULTS
Adolescents with alcohol problems at the time of the second interview reported less harm avoidance, less reward dependence, and were more likely to be a member of a deviant/substance-using peergroup a year before, compared to offspring without alcohol problems. Furthermore, they held more positive alcohol expectancies than adolescents without alcohol problems. Taking into account the quantity of alcohol consumed per occasion, all results were confirmed, but temperament did not predict the extend of alcohol consumed after one year.


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol expectancies and peer group deviance/substance-use are strongly associated to alcohol problems and the amount of alcohol consumed. Therefore, they should be the focus of prevention and intervention in this age group.
Barnow
S
S
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald im Klinikum Stralsund. barnow@uni-greifswald.de
Schultz
G
G
Lucht
M
M
Ulrich
I
I
Freyberger
H J
HJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010379:Peer Group; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012718:Set, Psychology; D012932:Social Facilitation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013694:Temperament