Social networks and alcohol use among nonstudent emerging adults: a preliminary study

Associations between psychological stress, discrimination, and oral health-related quality of life: the buffering effects of social support networks

Stress and discrimination negatively affect quality of life, but social support may buffer their effects. This study aims: (1) to examine the associations between psychological stress, discrimination, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL); and (2) to assess whether social support, stress and discrimination interact to modify their associations with OHRQoL. We used cross-sectional household-based data from a study including 396 individuals aged 14 years and over from families registered for government social benefits in a city in Southern Brazil. OHRQoL was measured with the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP) scale; psychological stress was assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS); social support was assessed based on the number of close relatives or friends of the participant, and discrimination was assessed with a short version of the Everyday Discrimination Scale. Interactions were estimated using the relative excess of risk due to interaction (RERI). Adjusted effects were calculated with logistic regression. The prevalence of oral impacts among people with higher and lower PSS scores was 81.6% and 65.5%, respectively (p < 0.01). Social support was found to have no interactions with stress levels and discrimination. The association between social discrimination and OHRQoL (OIDP score > 0) was OR = 2.03 (95%CI: 1.23; 3.34) among people with a low level of stress, but was OR = 12.6 (95%CI: 1.31; 120.9) among those with higher levels (p = 0.09, for interaction). Individuals who reported experiencing higher levels of psychological stress and discrimination had worse OHRQoL; a synergistic effect with social support was not clear.

Social Network Composition, Relationship Type, and Alcohol Use Among Young Adults Not in Four-Year College

Background: The drinking of social network members has been consistently associated with personal drinking. However, less attention has been paid to emerging adult populations outside of four-year college students and to potential moderators of this relationship. In a sample of emerging adults who never attended four-year college, this research examined: 1) the compositional characteristics of the social networks, 2) the association between the drinking of network members and personal drinking, and 3) how the association between network and personal drinking was moderated by relationship type (e.g., friend, parents, significant other). Methods: Data was provided by a sample of 525 emerging adults who participated in Qualtrics Panels. Results: In this noncollege sample, the composition of the social network was diverse, with roughly one-third of network members being friends and a little less than half being family members. Parents tended to consume alcohol more frequently than friends and significant others, but participants consumed alcohol more frequently with friends and significant others. Furthermore, drinking among friends and significant others tended to have stronger associations with personal alcohol use than drinking among parents. However, relationship type did not moderate the association between drinking with network members and personal alcohol use. Conclusions: Because of this, interventions need to be delivered to drinking groups.

Age, sex, and race-varying rates of alcohol use, cannabis use, and alcohol and cannabis co-use in veterans vs. non-veterans

BACKGROUND

Military veterans are a high-risk group for health risk behaviors, including alcohol and cannabis use. However, research on veteran vs. non-veteran rates of alcohol/cannabis use are inconsistent across studies. Further, no research has investigated veteran vs. non-veteran rates of alcohol and cannabis co-use, and few studies have tested whether demographic variables, particularly race/ethnicity, moderate group differences. Therefore, the current study tested whether 1) veteran vs. non-veterans differed in rates of alcohol use, cannabis use, and alcohol and cannabis co-use, and 2) whether demographic covariates (age, sex, race/ethnicity) moderated associations.

METHODS

Data on adults (N = 706,897; 53.4% female) were derived from the 2002-2019 National Study on Drug Use and Health. Participant demographics, alcohol use frequency, drinking quantity, and cannabis use frequency were self-reported.

RESULTS

Non-veterans reported higher drinking quantity, cannabis frequency, and co-use. However, being a veteran was a risk factor for heavier drinking for women, ethnic/racial minoritized participants, and adults under the age of 50. Additionally, veteran status was a risk factor for cannabis use frequency in racial/ethnic minoritized participants and women. Similarly, being a veteran was a risk factor for alcohol and cannabis co-use for racial/ethnic minoritized participants, and the buffering effect of being a Veteran on co-use was reduced for older participants and women.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that, at the population level, non-veterans may be heavier alcohol/cannabis users. However, moderating analyses suggested that being a veteran is a risk factor for women, racial/ethnic minoritized individuals, and younger individuals. Findings are discussed in terms of public health implications.

Effects of Social Network Characteristics on Mental Health Outcomes Among United States Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers

We sought to examine the relative salience of multiple social network structural characteristics (e.g., size, composition, quality, substance use) for understanding soldiers' mental health symptoms (anger, anxiety, depression, PTSD). Data are drawn from soldiers (N = 421) participating in the Operation: SAFETY study. Negative binomial regression models examined the relationship between ten social network characteristics and mental health outcomes, controlling for age, sex, years of military service, and deployment history. Greater number of close network ties was associated with fewer symptoms of anger, anxiety, and depression (ps < 0.05), but not PTSD. Having more illicit drug-using network ties was associated with greater severity of anxiety symptoms (p < 0.05). Finally, more days spent drinking with network members was related to higher levels of anger (p < 0.05). Interpersonal relationships that entail substance use are associated with greater anxiety and anger while a greater number of close ties is associated with fewer anger, anxiety, and depression symptoms.

Social Networks of Clients in First-Time DUI Programs

OBJECTIVE

Social networks play an important role in the development of and recovery from problem drinking behaviors; however, few studies have measured the social networks of individuals convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) or assessed the relationship between social network characteristics and risk for DUI relapse and recidivism. The goal of this study is to describe the social network characteristics of a first-time DUI population in the 2 weeks before the DUI incident; examine demographic differences in social network characteristics by age, ethnicity, and gender; and assess the relationship between social network characteristics and risk factors for DUI.

METHOD

We collected personal (egocentric) social network survey data from 94 participants (65% male) enrolled in a randomized clinical trial comparing the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy with usual care for individuals convicted of a first-time DUI. Multivariate models were used to assess the relationship between pre-DUI personal network characteristics and risk factors for DUI measured at baseline interview.

RESULTS

Results indicate that the proportion of drinking partners in one's personal network was positively associated with drinks per week, binge drinking, alcohol use, marijuana use, and alcohol-related consequences. Several dimensions of personal network support were inversely associated with risk factors for DUI.

CONCLUSIONS

The pre-DUI composition of personal networks has a strong relationship to baseline risk factors for DUI; networks composed of more risky individuals (e.g., drinking partners) were associated with greater substance use and drinking and driving behaviors. Networks with greater levels of social support were associated with lower likelihood of self-reported driving after drinking and intentions to drive after drinking. Interventions that target positive and negative aspects of personal networks may enhance clinical treatments.

Social Network Feedback and Drinking Outcomes among Emerging Adult Risky Drinkers Living in Urban Communities

Alcohol use and related problems often increase during emerging adulthood and are influenced by social networks. Investigating alcohol-specific feedback from network members may be useful for understanding social influences and designing interventions to reduce risky drinking among emerging adults.Purpose/Objectives: This study examined whether drinking practices and consequences among emerging adult risky drinkers living in disadvantaged urban communities were influenced by receipt of encouragement, discouragement, or mixed messages about drinking from network members.

METHODS

Risky drinkers ages 21-29 (N = 356; 228 females; mean age = 23.6 years) residing in the community were recruited using digitally implemented Respondent Driven Sampling, a peer-driven chain referral method. A web-based survey assessed drinking practices, negative alcohol-related consequences, and drinking feedback from social network members including friends, spouse/partner, and other family members.

RESULTS

Negative binomial generalized linear modeling showed that discouragement of drinking by friends was associated with fewer drinking days and negative consequences, whereas discouragement by family members (excluding spouse/partner) was associated with more drinks per drinking day. Mixed feedback (sometimes encouraging, sometimes discouraging drinking) from friends and spouse/partner was associated with more drinking days and negative consequences.Conclusions/Importance: Social network feedback had both risk and protective associations with drinking practices and problems among emerging adults, with discouragement to drink by friends appearing to serve a protective function. The findings suggest the utility of interventions delivered through social networks that amplify the natural protective function of friend discouragement of drinking, in addition to addressing established risks associated with peers.

Social Networks of Clients in First-Time DUI Programs

OBJECTIVE

Social networks play an important role in the development of and recovery from problem drinking behaviors; however, few studies have measured the social networks of individuals convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) or assessed the relationship between social network characteristics and risk for DUI relapse and recidivism. The goal of this study is to describe the social network characteristics of a first-time DUI population in the 2 weeks before the DUI incident; examine demographic differences in social network characteristics by age, ethnicity, and gender; and assess the relationship between social network characteristics and risk factors for DUI.

METHOD

We collected personal (egocentric) social network survey data from 94 participants (65% male) enrolled in a randomized clinical trial comparing the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy with usual care for individuals convicted of a first-time DUI. Multivariate models were used to assess the relationship between pre-DUI personal network characteristics and risk factors for DUI measured at baseline interview.

RESULTS

Results indicate that the proportion of drinking partners in one's personal network was positively associated with drinks per week, binge drinking, alcohol use, marijuana use, and alcohol-related consequences. Several dimensions of personal network support were inversely associated with risk factors for DUI.

CONCLUSIONS

The pre-DUI composition of personal networks has a strong relationship to baseline risk factors for DUI; networks composed of more risky individuals (e.g., drinking partners) were associated with greater substance use and drinking and driving behaviors. Networks with greater levels of social support were associated with lower likelihood of self-reported driving after drinking and intentions to drive after drinking. Interventions that target positive and negative aspects of personal networks may enhance clinical treatments.

Risk and protective effects of social networks on alcohol use problems among Army Reserve and National Guard soldiers

BACKGROUND

Military personnel engage in alcohol-related behaviors for a variety of reasons, some of which may be socially-motivated. Although civilian-based research has established that peers' drinking behaviors are correlated with individuals' own drinking behaviors, military work has not yet examined the influence of social network characteristics on soldier drinking behaviors. This study describes characteristics of soldiers' social networks in association with soldier alcohol use problems.

METHODS

This study includes data on 353 U.S. Reserve and National Guard (R/NG) soldiers and their 2154 past-year social ties. Descriptive analyses examined social tie characteristics (e.g., military affiliation, substance misuse, and drinking influence). Negative binomial regression models examined relationships between social network characteristics and soldier alcohol use problems.

RESULTS

On average, 14% of a R/NG soldier's social network was comprised of military-affiliated ties. Further, an average of 14% of ties in a soldier's network were considered drinking buddies, and 8% of ties were heavy-drinkers. More drinking buddies and heavy-drinking ties in a soldier's social network and greater average number of past-month days drinking with ties were associated with increases in soldier alcohol problems. For deployed soldiers, larger military-affiliated social networks were protective against alcohol problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Drinking-related social network characteristics are associated with increased alcohol problems among soldiers, while military-affiliated ties are protective specifically for deployed soldiers. Interventions to reduce alcohol use problems may focus on enhancing social connections between R/NG soldiers and providing opportunities to connect deployed R/NG soldiers with one another during and after reintegration.

Egocentric Health Networks and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the ECHORN Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Caribbean region.

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the concept of a health network, relationships focused on health-related matters, and examined associations with CVD risk factors in the Eastern Caribbean.

DESIGN

The Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network Cohort Study is an ongoing longitudinal cohort being conducted in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants (n = 1989) were English or Spanish-speaking adults 40 years and older, who were residents of the island for at least 10 years, and who intended to live on-island for the next 5 years.

MAIN MEASURES

Logistic regression was used to examine associations between health network characteristics and CVD risk factors: physical activity, hypertension, and smoking. A baseline survey asked questions about health networks using name generator questions that assessed who participants spoke to about health matters, whose opinions on healthcare mattered, and who they would trust to make healthcare decisions on their behalf.

KEY RESULTS

Health networks were mainly comprised of family members and friends. Healthcare professionals comprised 7% of networks, mean network size was four, and 74% of health network contacts were perceived to be in "good" to "excellent" health. Persons with larger health networks had greater odds of being physically active compared with those with smaller networks (OR = 1.07, CI = 1.01-1.14).

CONCLUSIONS

Health networks may be useful to intervention efforts for CVD risk factor reduction. More studies are needed to examine health networks in Caribbean contexts and explore associations with other CVD risk factors.

Social identity and drinking: Dissecting social networks and implications for novel interventions

Drinking among young adults has been consistently associated with perceptions of prevalence and approval of varying levels of drinking among broadly defined similar others (e.g. other female college students). Few works have considered influences in terms of actual group members comprising individuals' social networks. We proposed two overlapping groups would differentially influence drinking (important others; drinking buddies; and members of both groups). Furthermore, we expected that specific individuals (e.g. romantic partners and family members) would be associated with less drinking. Data were provided from 372 drinkers who logged daily drinking and the presence of network members on MTurk. Results indicated consistent support for the number of network members present as a predictor of the number of drinks consumed per drinking day, regardless of member characteristics. Only important others who were not drinkers and romantic partners failed to demonstrate unique positive associations with drinks per drinking day.

Motivations for alcohol use to intoxication among young adult gay, bisexual, and other MSM in New York City: The P18 Cohort Study

INTRODUCTION

Motivations for alcohol use to intoxication vary among young adults depending on social setting and other contextual factors. However, there is limited research exploring the role of different drinking motivations among young men who have sex with men (YMSM).

METHODS

Data from a racially/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of YMSM (n = 426) were used to examine associations between recent (last 30 days) alcohol use to intoxication and scores on three distinct drinking motivation subscales: convivial, intimate, and negative coping drinking. Multinomial logistic regression models were constructed to examine associations between drinking motivations and days of alcohol use to intoxication, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS

YMSM who scored higher on all three drinking motivation subscales were more likely to engage in recent alcohol use to intoxication compared to those who reported no alcohol use to intoxication. In multivariable models, Black and Hispanic YMSM had lower odds of intoxication compared to White YMSM, and those reporting lower perceived familial SES had lower odds compared to higher SES. In a final model including all three motivations, only convivial drinking was significantly associated with days of intoxication (1-2 days: AOR = 1.22; 3+ days: AOR = 1.45).

CONCLUSIONS

This study identifies distinct associations between different motivations for drinking and alcohol use to intoxication in a sample of YMSM. These findings highlight a need to incorporate an understanding of motivations for alcohol use to intoxication into research and clinical practice with YMSM, as different reasons for drinking carry respective potential health risks.

Motivations and Consequences of Alcohol Use among Heavy Drinking Nonstudent Emerging Adults

Research suggests that nonstudent emerging adults may be at elevated risk for alcohol-related problems in adulthood. The present study utilized a qualitative approach to broaden our understanding of the drinking-related perceptions and experiences of heavy drinking nonstudents, with the ultimate goal of generating meaningful knowledge that could aid intervention planning. Research aims were to identify nonstudent (1) drinking motivations and (2) drinking consequences. Eleven focus groups were conducted (n = 64 participants). Data analytic techniques were used to code transcripts and generate themes emerging from the group data. Analyses revealed three main themes emerged regarding nonstudent reasons for drinking (i.e., emotional, social, enhanced experiences). Four prominent themes were identified for drinking consequences (i.e., physical health, psychological health, risk-taking, life functioning). Our findings underscore several considerations related to intervening with this at-risk and understudied population.

Peer alcohol behavior moderates within-level associations between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and alcohol use in college students

Self-medication theory (SMT) posits that individuals exposed to trauma and resulting posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSD) are at risk for heavy drinking and associated negative consequences. Close peer alcohol use is also a powerful predictor of alcohol involvement in college, particularly influencing those with greater negative affect. As individuals with PTSD may rely on peers for support, peer drinking behaviors are possibly putting them at further risk for greater alcohol use and resulting consequences. To test self-medication processes, the present study examined the relationship between weekday PTSD symptoms, weekend alcohol behavior, and the influence of both emotionally supportive peer and other friend drinking behavior by investigating: (a) whether weekday PTSD symptoms predicted subsequent weekend alcohol use and consequences; and (b) whether the relationship between weekday PTSD symptoms and weekend alcohol behavior was moderated by various drinking behaviors of one's peers. Trauma-exposed heavy-drinking college students (N = 128) completed a baseline assessment and 30 daily, Web-based assessments of alcohol use and related consequences, PTSD symptoms, and peer alcohol behavior. Results directly testing SMT were not supported. However, friend alcohol behavior moderated the relationship between weekday PTSD and weekend alcohol behavior. Findings highlight the importance of peer drinking as both a buffer and risk factor for problematic drinking and provide useful information for interventions aimed at high-risk drinkers. (PsycINFO Database Record

Alcohol use variability in a community-based sample of nonstudent emerging adult heavy drinkers

BACKGROUND

While nonstudent emerging adults are at elevated risk for experiencing alcohol-related problems, there remains a paucity of research devoted specifically to addressing drinking in this group.

OBJECTIVES

The present study sought to offer unique insights into nonstudent drinking by examining drinking variability across 30 days using a retrospective diary method. Specific aims were to: (1) compare within- and between-person variability in alcohol use across 30 days, and (2) determine the extent to which central social-cognitive between-person factors (i.e., social expectancies, perceived drinking norms, social drinking motivations) predict between-person alcohol use as well as within-person variability in drinking.

METHODS

Participants were 195 (65.1% men) nonstudent emerging adults recruited from the community with a mean age of 21.9 (SD = 2.1) years.

RESULTS

Findings showed that a substantial portion of variation in daily alcohol consumption was attributable to the within-person (83%) rather than between-person (17.2%) level. Social expectancies, perceived drinking norms, and social motives were found to influence variability in daily alcohol consumption.

CONCLUSION

Our findings contribute to knowledge that could guide efforts to design and tailor intervention strategies to minimize the harms experienced by an understudied and at-risk population of drinkers.

A latent profile analysis of drinking patterns among nonstudent emerging adults

Research indicates that nonstudent emerging adults, as compared to their college-attending peers, are at higher risk for experiencing alcohol-related problems, including alcohol use disorders. The present study sought to extend the limited research on nonstudent drinking by (1) identifying sub-groups of nonstudent drinkers based on their drinking patterns and (2) determining the extent to which social-cognitive between-person factors related to drinking (i.e., social expectancies, perceived drinking norms, social drinking motivations) distinguish these sub-groups. Participants were 195 (65.1% men) nonstudent emerging adult heavy episodic drinkers recruited from the community. Mean age was 21.88 (SD=2.08) years and 45.4% were unemployed. Latent profile analysis identified two classes based on drinking across 30days. The "moderate drinkers" group (n=143; 73.3%) reported consuming 10-11 drinks weekly and drinking two to three times per week, on average. The "heavy drinkers" class (n=52; 26.7%) reported consuming 42-43 drinks weekly and drinking six to seven days per week. Both groups exhibited a cyclic pattern of drinking whereby weekday drinking was lower, with increases on the weekend; the heavy drinkers class had stronger weekend increases starting earlier. Heavy drinkers reported greater volume, frequency, and problematic drinking behaviors, as compared to the moderate drinkers. The heavy drinkers class also endorsed stronger social motives and perceived their peers to drink more. The present study offered unique insights into nonstudent emerging adult drinking patterns by identifying sub-populations of drinkers based on their past 30-day use. Knowledge gained from this study could aide in tailoring existing alcohol interventions to nonstudents to reduce alcohol-related harms.

Young adult social development as a mediator of alcohol use disorder symptoms from age 21 to 30

Little research has examined social development in the young adult years relative to childhood and adolescence. This study tested the hypothesized pathways of the social development model (SDM) in young adulthood for predicting symptoms of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and positive functioning at age 30. A longitudinal panel study originally drawn from Seattle, Washington, elementary schools was examined. The sample included 808 participants with high retention and was gender balanced and ethnically diverse. Analyses focused on ages 21, 27, and 30. SDM constructs were assessed with self-reports of past-year behavior and combined multiple life domains. AUD symptoms corresponding to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) criteria were assessed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Positive functioning combined measures of constructive engagement in work and school, civic engagement, physical exercise, and lack of depressive symptoms. The study found that AUD symptoms were moderately stable from age 21 to 30; however, developmental pathways hypothesized by the SDM at age 27 played a significant role in partially mediating this association. Alcohol-specific factors were key mediating mechanisms, whereas prosocial factors played little role. Conversely, prosocial factors had an important role in predicting positive functioning at age 30, whereas there were no significant pathways involving alcohol-specific factors. Findings suggest that age 27 is not too late for interventions targeting adult social development to help diminish alcohol use disorder symptoms by age 30. Alcohol-specific factors such as reducing perceived opportunities or rewards for heavy alcohol use or challenging beliefs accepting of drunkenness are likely to be key ingredients of effective adult interventions.

Postdetoxification Factors Predicting Alcohol-Related Emergency Room Visits 12 to 24 Months After Discharge: Results from a Prospective Study of Patients with Alcohol Dependence

BACKGROUND

Relapse is common in patients with alcohol dependence, even after detoxification. The aims of this prospective study were to investigate changes affecting patients during the first 6 months after discharge from hospitalization for detoxification and to determine the influence of these changes on the likelihood of alcohol-related emergency room (ER) visits in the following 18-month period.

METHODS

The study included 88 patients hospitalized for participation in a detoxification program in the addiction department of a university hospital in Rennes, France. Alcohol consumption, psychiatric symptoms, and life events were investigated by addiction specialists during hospitalization and 6 months afterward. For each patient, the number of alcohol-related ER visits in the last 6 months was prospectively recorded at the hospital 12, 18, and 24 months after hospitalization. The rate ratios of ER visits as a function of sociodemographic variables and changes observed 6 months after discharge were estimated using Poisson regression with autoregressive errors.

RESULTS

Nearly half of the patients (47.7%) had ER visits in the 12- to 24-month period following discharge. The likelihood of ER visits was higher for patients living with friends/parents and for those with aggravated psychiatric symptoms, negative changes in their family life, and who had a medical follow-up in the 6 months after discharge. In contrast, the likelihood of ER visits was lower for patients living with children and those with improved psychiatric morbidity. Alcohol consumption and psychiatric symptoms at baseline had no significant effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Monitoring changes in psychiatric symptoms and family life early after a detoxification program may help identify patients who are vulnerable to relapse in the subsequent 18-month period. Systematic screening for these changes as early as possible, in combination with appropriate treatment and the establishment of a social support system, could be fundamental in avoiding further relapses and ER visits.

Social network characteristics associated with health promoting behaviors among Latinos

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the relationship between social network characteristics and health promoting behaviors (having a routine medical check-up, consuming no alcohol, consuming no fast food, and meeting recommendations for leisure-time physical activity and sleep duration) among Latinos to identify potential targets for behavioral interventions.

METHOD

Personal network characteristics and health behavior data were collected from a community sample of 393 adult Latinos (73% women) in San Diego County, California. Network characteristics consisted of size and composition. Network size was calculated by the number of alters listed on a name generator questionnaire eliciting people with whom respondents discussed personal issues. Network composition variables were the proportion of Latinos, Spanish-speakers, females, family, and friends listed in the name generator. Additional network composition variables included marital status and the number of adults or children in the household.

RESULTS

Network members were predominately Latinos (95%), Spanish-speakers (80%), females (64%), and family (55%). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, gender moderated the relationship between network composition, but not size, and a health behavior. Married women were more likely to have had a routine medical check-up than married men. For both men and women, having a larger network was associated with meeting the recommendation for leisure-time physical activity.

CONCLUSION

Few social network characteristics were significantly associated with health promoting behaviors, suggesting a need to examine other aspects of social relationships that may influence health behaviors.

Drinking Buddies: Who Are They and When Do They Matter?

The present study sought to further examine the role of peers on alcohol use and problems among young adults. In particular, we focused on a specific subset of peers in one's social network mostly for activities related to alcohol use called "drinking buddies." The presence of drinking buddies in one's social network has been shown to predict heavy drinking uniquely over but few studies have focused on potential factors moderating the relationship. Consequently, an aim of present study was to examine the influence of drinking buddies on alcohol outcomes and the extent to which the relationship may be dependent on one's normative perceptions. Another aim was to provide a descriptive examination of drinking buddies. Participants were college students (N = 250; 72.8% women) who completed self-report measures of alcohol use and problems, injunctive norms, descriptive norms, and social network characteristics. Results showed that descriptive norms moderated the relationship between drinking buddies and all alcohol outcomes assessed. Specifically, the influence of drinking buddies was stronger for those who perceived a lower prevalence of peer drinking. Examination of drinking buddies characteristics revealed that these peers tended to be young adults who were moderate social drinkers with whom they felt close and perceived to be available for concrete and emotional support. Several differences emerged between the drinking buddies of heavy versus non-heavy drinkers. The present study contributed to the larger body of work on peer influence and alcohol use by examining a specific subgroup of peers that may promote risky drinking.

Identifying theoretical predictors of risky alcohol use among noncollege emerging adults

OBJECTIVE

Studies show that emerging adults who do not obtain postsecondary education are at greater risk for developing alcohol use disorders later in life relative to their college-attending peers. Research examining constructs amenable to change within this population is necessary to inform intervention efforts. Thus, the current study aimed to identify psychosocial correlates of risky alcohol use for noncollege emerging adults. A secondary goal was to examine whether gender moderated the relationships between the psychosocial constructs and alcohol use.

METHOD

Participants were a nationally representative sample of noncollege emerging adults (18-22 years old) who reported using alcohol in the past year, recruited through an established Internet panel (N = 209; 125 women). A path model was used to examine the relationship between theoretically derived constructs (expectancies, attitudes, normative beliefs) and risky (peak) drinking. A second model examined a multigroup solution to assess moderating effects of gender.

RESULTS

The full-sample model revealed significant associations between attitudes toward drinking and risky drinking. The model assessing gender differences revealed association between normative beliefs and drinking for women but not men, whereas attitudes were significantly associated with risky drinking for both men and women.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight the importance of attitudes and, for women, descriptive norms in the etiology of risky drinking among noncollege emerging adults, which emphasizes their potential utility in the development and adaptation of interventions for this at-risk population.

"Drinking buddies" and alcohol dependence symptoms among African American men and women in Baltimore, MD

BACKGROUND

Social network characteristics have been found to be associated with a variety of risky behaviors, including alcohol consumption. This study assessed the relationships between the characteristics of drinking buddies and alcohol dependence symptoms among a sample of African American men and women.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study using baseline data from 721 impoverished African American men and women participating in an HIV prevention study in Baltimore, MD. Alcohol dependence symptoms were assessed through the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and was defined as AUDIT score≥13 for females and AUDIT score≥15 for males. Logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations (GEE) using network member as the unit of analysis were conducted to assess the associations between the gender or relationship (i.e., kin, non-kin or sex partner) of the drinking buddies and the participants' alcohol dependence symptoms.

RESULTS

Approximately 22% of the participants had alcohol dependence symptoms. Among male participants, alcohol dependence symptoms were associated with having drinking buddies who were sex partners (AOR: 2.41; 95%CI: 1.32, 4.39) or who were female (AOR: 2.29; 95%CI: 1.29, 4.05). Among female participants, association between the presence of drinking buddy and alcohol dependence symptoms did not depend on the types of relationship or the gender of the drinking buddy.

CONCLUSIONS

Social network characteristics with respect to alcohol dependence symptoms vary according to the type of relationship or the gender of the drinking buddies, especially among men. Gender-specific norm-based interventions may be a useful strategy to decrease drink problems.

Excessive drinking among African American men: individual and contextual correlates

In this article, the authors explored associations of multiple domains with regular drinking and getting drunk among adult African American men. Questionnaire-based, computer-assisted interviews were conducted with 484 men in Atlanta, Georgia. Data analysis involved multivariate logistic regression analyses. Findings show that being older increased the odds of both drinking behaviors. Sensation seeking increased the odds of regular drinking, and having experienced childhood sexual and physical abuse increased the odds of getting drunk. Having health insurance reduced the odds of both outcomes. Insurance coverage and the heterogeneity among adult African American men must be considered in risk reduction efforts.

Drinking buddies and their prospective influence on alcohol outcomes: alcohol expectancies as a mediator

The process by which peers or the social network influence individual alcohol use, particularly among adults, remains a necessary area of research. The purpose of the present study was to examine the longitudinal influence of "drinking buddies" on alcohol outcomes (i.e., alcohol use, heavy drinking, and alcohol-related problems) as mediated by alcohol expectancies of social facilitation. Participants were 1347 (men = 660, women = 687) newly married individuals recruited from the community. They were assessed at the time of marriage and through the fourth wedding anniversary. Longitudinal mediation across time was evaluated using latent growth modeling. Overall, the prospective association between the number of drinking buddies in the social network and all three alcohol outcomes was mediated by alcohol expectancies. In testing group invariance across gender, findings suggest that social-facilitation expectancies may be more relevant to men than women in predicting typical alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Given that the social network may impact alcohol use at least in part through social expectancies, tailoring alcohol interventions to modify these specific beliefs may be particularly beneficial. In addition, strategies that target drinkers' social networks or their drinking buddies specifically may be useful.