Parental divorce and adolescent drunkenness: role of socioeconomic position, psychological well-being and social support.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the association between parental divorce and adolescent drunkenness in the last 4 weeks and the contribution of socioeconomic position, family structure, social support from family and well-being to this association.


METHODS
We obtained data on 3,694 elementary school students from several cities in Slovakia (mean age 14.3, 49.0% males; response rate 93%). Respondents completed questionnaires on how often they had been drunk in the last 4 weeks, whether their parents were divorced, their socioeconomic position (education of parents, family affluence), the composition of the household (one or two parents/step-parents), social support from the family and their own well-being.


RESULTS
Parental divorce was found to have an effect on adolescent drunkenness in the last 4 weeks, as well as high socioeconomic position, low social support from the family and high depression/anxiety. The effect of divorce on drunkenness decreased only slightly after adding social support into the model.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that parental divorce has a persistent influence on risk behavior independent of the influence of socioeconomic position and well-being. Parental divorce may increase the likelihood of drunkenness more than other factors such as low parental support and poor socioeconomic position.
Tomcikova
Z
Z
Kosice Institute for Society and Health, Faculty of Arts, PJ Safarik University, SK-04001 Kosice, Slovak Republic. tomcikova.zuzana@gmail.com
Madarasova Geckova
A
A
Orosova
O
O
van Dijk
J P
JP
Reijneveld
S A
SA
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D018154:Slovakia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class; D012944:Social Support