Alcohol expectancies change in early to middle adolescence as a function of the exposure to parental alcohol use

Koen Smit; Carmen Voogt; Roy Otten; Marloes Kleinjan; Emmanuel Kuntsche

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.107938

Alcohol expectancies change in early to middle adolescence as a function of the exposure to parental alcohol use

Drug Alcohol Depend. 2020 Jun 1:211:107938. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.107938. Epub 2020 Mar 25.

Authors

Koen Smit¹, Carmen Voogt², Roy Otten³, Marloes Kleinjan⁴, Emmanuel Kuntsche⁵

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, NR1 building, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Trimbos Institute, Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, P.O. Box 725, 3500 AS Utrecht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: k.smit@latrobe.edu.au.
² Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Trimbos Institute, Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, P.O. Box 725, 3500 AS Utrecht, the Netherlands.
³ Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Pluryn, Research & Development, P.O. Box 53, 6500 AB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; REACH Institute, Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA.
⁴ Trimbos Institute, Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, P.O. Box 725, 3500 AS Utrecht, the Netherlands; Utrecht University, Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Youth Studies, P.O. Box 80140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands.
⁵ Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, NR1 building, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

PMID: 32222262
DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.107938

Abstract

Introduction: The subjective effects of alcohol, i.e., alcohol expectancies (AE), are important predictors of alcohol use. This three-year longitudinal study examined: 1) the development of enhancement, social, coping, and conformity AE from age 10-16; 2) the association between parental alcohol use exposure and positive AE among adolescents and between exposure and changes in AE over the six month period and 3) the moderating effect of gender on the association between exposure and change in AE.

Methods: A longitudinal study followed adolescents between 10-13-years old at baseline (N = 755; 45.6 % boys) in six months intervals for three years, resulting in seven measurements.

Results: Adolescents most strongly endorsed enhancement AE. Social and coping AE dimensions positively increased over time. The estimated Multilevel Model of Change revealed that exposure to either fathers 'or mothers' alcohol use predicted an increase in social AE six months later (B = .129, SE = .032). Exposure to fathers' drinking predicted an increase in enhancement AE for boys (B = .075, SE = .031) but not for girls (B=-0.045, SE = .030). No associations between parental exposure and other AE dimensions were found.

Conclusion: The results add to previous studies in showing that the association between parental drinking behavior and offspring AE develops within short periods. Prevention should, therefore, include explicit guidelines for parents with respect to how their drinking behavior affect their offspring.

Keywords: Alcohol expectancies; Exposure to alcohol use; Longitudinal; Parenting.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior / psychology*
Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology
Alcohol Drinking / psychology*
Alcohol Drinking / trends*
Child
Female
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Parents / psychology*
Social Behavior