University students' knowledge of alcohol and drink stereotypes

Evaluation of a strategy for changing group stereotypes of the heroin user

This study examined characteristics attributed to a person using an illegal narcotic drug (heroin) and sought to change established stereotypes by participation in a group education experience. Prior to the main study, 100 Advanced Psychology students generated lists of adjectives they would use to describe a heroin user. The most frequently mentioned characteristics were placed in structured lists as pre- and post-test measures. Both semantic differential and open-choice formats were used. The Prevention Role Play, a recently developed strategy in drug education, was used to challenge the group's stereotypes. Significant shifts in attributions were revealed between the pre- and post-test measures. After the Role Play students reduced their negative stereotype on a number of dimensions though they still described the heroin user as confused, insecure, troubled and lonely. The discussion considers possible strategies for facilitating positive attitude change.

Parent, peer and personal determinants of adolescent drinking

This study examined direct and indirect influences of parents and peers on adolescent drinking. One hundred and six adolescents, their parents and a same-sex best friend of the adolescent each completed measures that tapped actual and perceived drinking behaviour, and normative standards for alcohol use. Of methodological interest was that adolescents of both sexes provided accurate reports of their parents' and peer's drinking, as well as drinking norms. Path analyses revealed different effects for male and female adolescents. Strongest predictors of alcohol use for males were their perceptions of their father's and mother's drinking, and their father's actual drinking. Best friend's drinking was positively related to the adolescent males' perceptions of themselves as a drinker. The single predictor of their internalized norms was the perception adolescent males had of their friend's drinking. Significantly, the adolescent male's own norms predicted how much and what they drank. For adolescent females, how much they believed their best friend drank, and their friend's normative standards, were the strongest predictors of alcohol use. Father's drinking also influenced the drinking practices of daughters, but mothers had no impact on their daughters' alcohol use. In contrast to young males, females' personal preferences or liking of alcohol successfully predicted most of their drinking behaviour.