NCJ Number
191676
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 30 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2001 Pages: 675-695
Editor(s)
Daniel Offer
Date Published
2001
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This study assessed whether or not a relationship exists between alcohol use and quality of peer relations. The second objective of the study was to determine if risk behaviors are related to positive aspects of peer relations.
Abstract
The data for this study was collected through a cross-sectional group of adolescent females and males aged 12- to 18-years-old from the Netherlands. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in this study, and peer relations and risk behaviors were defined. The study analyzed associations of risk behaviors with peer and family relations. A variety of measures were used: the Deviancy Scale, which measured involvement in risk behaviors; the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) which assessed various degrees of attachment; the Perceived Competence Scale which measured how children perceived friendships; and the Personal Network List assessed the support participants received from parents when they were experiencing relational problems. Other measurements evaluated the frequency of peer contact, and the Family Cohesion and Adaptability Scales were used to measure teenagers’ perceptions of family situations. It was demonstrated that substance use and risky behavior actually related to positive aspects of peer relations, since those who felt more comfortable with friends and intimate partners than those who did not participate in such behaviors. According to the authors, both the negative and positive factors were critical for understanding why adolescents experimented. This study did not provide information about why young people engage in risk behaviors. The authors believe more research is needed since the findings of this study can’t be generalized to other countries or cultures. Tables, and references