title: Parents' and students' perceptions of college alcohol risk: the role of parental risk perception in intentions to communicate about alcohol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The current study aims to examine discrepancies in parents' and college students' perceptions of alcohol risk and the role of perceived risk in predicting parents' intentions to discuss alcohol with their child.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 246 college student-parent dyads (56.1% female students, 77.2% mothers) were recruited from a mid-size university. Participants completed measures of absolute likelihood, comparative likelihood, and severity of alcohol consequences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison to students, parents perceived the risks of alcohol poisoning (p<.001), academic impairment (p<.05), and problems with others (p<.05) to be more likely. In addition, parents rated the majority of alcohol consequences (e.g., passing out, regrettable sexual situation, throwing up) as more severe than students (all ps<.001). However, parents tended to be more optimistic than their child about the comparative likelihood of alcohol consequences. After controlling for demographics and past alcohol communication, greater absolute likelihood (β=.20, p=.016) and less confidence in knowledge of student behavior (β=.20, p=.013) predicted greater intentions to discuss alcohol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Providing parents of college students with information about college drinking norms and the likelihood of alcohol consequences may help prompt alcohol-related communication.
authors.affiliation: Lehigh University, Department of Psychology, Health, Medicine, and Society, 17 Memorial Drive East, Chandler-Ullmann Hall, Bethlehem, PA 18015, United States. Electronic address: Lucy.Napper@lehigh.edu.
authors.forename: Lucy E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Napper
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, United States.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Grimaldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, United States.
authors.forename: Joseph W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: LaBrie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities
keywords: Alcohol risk; Alcohol-specific communication; College students; Parents; Risk perception