Abstract
In spite of adolescents' knowledge about health damaging effects of alcohol, they continue to initiate alcohol use at high rates. This study was designed to investigate early adolescents' expectations of positive and negative effects from alcohol use on four domains in their life: physical health, social lifer functional ability and self concept. It was hypothesized that early adolescents would view the effects of alcohol on their physical health differently than its effects on their social life, function, and self concept. 593 ethnically diverse adolescents attending a middle school completed the study protocol (X=13yrs;S.D.=.94). 51% of sample was female. Subjects did not judge the potential effects of alcohol equally across the four domains (p<.001>. Alcohol was perceived as being most likely to have a negative effect on physical health and least likely to have a negative effect on one's social life. Positive effects of alcohol use were viewed as most likely in the social arena. The degree to which adolescents made differential judgements across life domains varied as a function of drinking status? drinking experience was associated with greater differentiation (p<.001). The effects of drinking on social life were most strongly associated with intentions of drinking in the next year (p<.001). Adolescents who intended to initiate drinking in the next year endorsed alcohol as most likely to have a positive effect on their self concept. Results suggest the need to focus on domains other than physical health in the development of programs for early adolescents in decisions regarding alcohol use.
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Irwin, C., Milstein, S. THE MEANING OF ALCOHOL USE IN EARLY ADOLESCENTS. Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 175 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00055
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00055