Family and school social capitals in late childhood predict youthful drinking behaviors and problems

Yu Lo; Wan-Ting Chen; I-An Wang; Chieh-Yu Liu; Wei J Chen; Chuan-Yu Chen

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.05.014

Family and school social capitals in late childhood predict youthful drinking behaviors and problems

Drug Alcohol Depend. 2019 Nov 1:204:107482. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.05.014. Epub 2019 Aug 30.

Authors

Yu Lo¹, Wan-Ting Chen², I-An Wang², Chieh-Yu Liu³, Wei J Chen⁴, Chuan-Yu Chen⁵

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
² Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan.
³ Department of Speech and Language Pathology and Audiology, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁴ Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁵ Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan; School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: chuanychen@ym.edu.tw.

PMID: 31499244
DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.05.014

Abstract

Background: The present study aims to investigate the connection linking late childhood's family- and school- social capitals with subsequent alcohol drinking and problems.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Alcohol-Related Experiences among Children survey in Taiwan. A total of 928 6th graders (age 11-12) were recruited from 17 elementary schools in an urban region in 2006 (response rate = 61.0%_wt); follow-ups were conducted at 8th grade (n = 783, follow-up rate = 82.6%_wt) and young adulthood (age 18-19; n = 645, follow-up rate = 68.0%_wt). Information concerning family social capital, alcohol drinking, and teacher-student relationship was collected by self-administered questionnaires; school social capitals were assessed via questionnaires and official statistics. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate relationship estimates.

Results: At 8th grade, nearly one in ten reported having drunk alcohol on four or more occasions (i.e., occasional drinking) in the past year; and 14% reported past-month binge drinking in young adulthood. Effects of family social capital differed by developmental stage; parental involvement appeared prominent in reducing occasional drinking only in adolescence (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 0.54). School social capital (e.g., teacher-student ratio) was salient in shaping alcohol involvement in adolescence (occasional drinking: aOR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.63-0.98) and young adulthood (binge drinking: aOR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.67-0.86).

Conclusions: Our findings warrant future research on social capitals at family- and school- levels in late childhood, and inform preventive strategies targeting alcohol drinking and problems in young people.

Keywords: Early adolescence; Problem drinking; Social Capital; Young adults.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Binge Drinking / psychology
Child
Female
Humans
Interpersonal Relations
Male
Parent-Child Relations*
Schools
Social Capital*
Surveys and Questionnaires
Taiwan
Underage Drinking / psychology*
Young Adult