The role of alcohol-specific socialization in adolescents' drinking behaviour.
OBJECTIVE
To determine which alcohol-specific socialization practices are related to adolescents' alcohol use, and to investigate whether parents differ in their alcohol-specific socialization towards their children.


METHODS
In a sample of 428 families, both parents and two adolescents (aged 13-16 years) completed a questionnaire at home about alcohol-specific parenting and their own alcohol use. Based on the reports of each family member, three different models of alcohol-specific socialization were formulated: from the perspective of the siblings, the mother and the father.


RESULTS
Results of structural equation modelling generally showed the same associations between alcohol-specific socialization and drinking of younger and older adolescents. The strongest association was found for providing alcohol-specific rules. Applying strict rules about alcohol use was negatively related to adolescents' alcohol use; this was also the case for having confidence in the effectiveness of alcohol-specific socialization. Unexpectedly, frequency of communication about alcohol issues was positively associated with alcohol consumption of adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
This study is one of the first to examine associations between alcohol-specific socialization and adolescents' drinking using a between- and a within-family design. Results showed strong associations between alcohol-specific socialization (particularly of enforcing rules) and adolescent alcohol use. Although parents strongly differentiated their socialization practices between children, no differences in associations between alcohol-specific socialization and drinking were found between older and younger adolescents.
van der Vorst
Haske
H
Institute of Family and Child Care Studies, Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands. h.vandervorst@pwo.ru.nl
Engels
Rutger C M E
RC
Meeus
Wim
W
Deković
Maja
M
Van Leeuwe
Jan
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D012931:Social Environment; D012951:Socialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires