<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The association between adolescent drinking and drinking of significant others is well known but underlying mechanisms are still not well understood. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between social drinking in adolescents and drinking patterns of their significant others. We conducted a survey using a self-completed questionnaire on alcohol drinking habits. Of 903 students (aged 15-19), 279 (30.9%) were found to be abstainers (NDA) and 455 (50.39%) – social drinkers (SDA). These two groups were compared statistically about drinking patterns of their significant others. It was found that SDA were more likely to have fathers (OR=0.26; 95%CI=0.19-0.37), mothers (OR=0.26; 95%CI=0.19-0.37), friends (OR=0.26; 95%CI=0.19-0.37) and lovers (OR=0.26; 95%CI=0.19-0.37) that drank socially than NDA, but there were no significant differences in regular drinking of their fathers, friends and lovers. Only SDA mothers were more likely to drink regularly (OR=0.26; 95%CI=0.19-0.37). SDA were also more likely to receive alcohol offers from all their significant others, except from lovers. Social drinking in adolescence seems to be strongly socially motivated by drinking modeling and social pressure. The SDA mothers’ regular drinking is hard to explain in terms of social learning and social control theory and needs an alternative explanation.</p></abstract>

The association between adolescent drinking and drinking of significant others is well known but underlying mechanisms are still not well understood. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between social drinking in adolescents and drinking patterns of their significant others. We conducted a survey using a self-completed questionnaire on alcohol drinking habits. Of 903 students (aged 15-19), 279 (30.9%) were found to be abstainers (NDA) and 455 (50.39%) – social drinkers (SDA). These two groups were compared statistically about drinking patterns of their significant others. It was found that SDA were more likely to have fathers (OR=0.26; 95%CI=0.19-0.37), mothers (OR=0.26; 95%CI=0.19-0.37), friends (OR=0.26; 95%CI=0.19-0.37) and lovers (OR=0.26; 95%CI=0.19-0.37) that drank socially than NDA, but there were no significant differences in regular drinking of their fathers, friends and lovers. Only SDA mothers were more likely to drink regularly (OR=0.26; 95%CI=0.19-0.37). SDA were also more likely to receive alcohol offers from all their significant others, except from lovers. Social drinking in adolescence seems to be strongly socially motivated by drinking modeling and social pressure. The SDA mothers’ regular drinking is hard to explain in terms of social learning and social control theory and needs an alternative explanation.

Significant Others And Social Alcohol Use In Adolescents

Department of Social Medicine and Healthcare Management, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Department of Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Journal of Biomedical and Clinical Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Significant Others And Social Alcohol Use In Adolescents"}

The association between adolescent drinking and drinking of significant others is well known but underlying mechanisms are still not well understood. The...

Significant Others And Social Alcohol Use In Adolescents

Published Online: Dec 22, 2015

Page range: 145 - 149

Received: Oct 30, 2015

Accepted: Dec 01, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcr-2015-0165

Keywords
parental behavior, significant others, behavioral modeling

© 2015 Galya D. Chamova et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Significant Others And Social Alcohol Use In Adolescents

Published Online: Dec 22, 2015

Page range: 145 - 149

Received: Oct 30, 2015

Accepted: Dec 01, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcr-2015-0165

Keywordsparental behavior, significant others, behavioral modeling

© 2015 Galya D. Chamova et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
parental behavior, significant others, behavioral modeling