Perceived norms moderate the association between mental health symptoms and drinking outcomes among at-risk adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
There has been limited research examining the association between mental health symptoms, perceived peer alcohol norms, and alcohol use and consequences among samples of adolescents. The current study used a sample of 193 at-risk youths with a first-time alcohol and/or other drug offense in the California Teen Court system to explore the moderating role of perceived peer alcohol norms on the association between mental health symptoms and drinking outcomes.


METHODS
Measures of drinking, consequences, mental health symptoms, and perceived peer alcohol norms were taken at baseline, with measures of drinking and consequences assessed again 6 months later. Regression analyses examined the association of perceived norms and mental health symptoms with concurrent and future drinking and consequences.


RESULTS
We found that higher perceived drinking peer norms were associated with heavy drinking behavior at baseline and with negative alcohol consequences both at baseline and 6 months later. Also, perceived drinking norms moderated the association between mental health symptoms and alcohol-related consequences such that better mental health was related to increased risk for alcohol-related consequences both concurrently and 6 months later among those with higher baseline perceptions of peer drinking norms.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings demonstrate the value of norms-based interventions, especially among adolescents with few mental health problems who are at risk for heavy drinking.
RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California 90407, USA. eric_pedersen@rand.org
Eric R
ER
Pedersen
Jeremy N V
JN
Miles
Sarah B
SB
Hunter
Karen Chan
KC
Osilla
Brett A
BA
Ewing
Elizabeth J
EJ
D'Amico
D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008603:Mental Health; D010379:Peer Group; D012044:Regression Analysis