Jocks, Gender, Race, and Adolescent Problem Drinking

• NCJ Number: 206622
• Journal: Journal of Drug Education Volume: 33 Issue: 4 Dated: 2003 Pages: 445-462
• Author(s): Kathleen E. Miller Ph.D.; Joseph H. Hoffman M.A.; Grace M. Barnes Ph.D.; Michael P. Farrell Ph.D.; Don Sabo Ph.D.; Merrill J. Melnick Ph.D.
• Date Published: 2003
• Length: 18 pages
• Grant Number(s): DA 13570-01
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Sale Source: Baywood Publishing Co, Inc.
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study explored the relationship between the “jock” label and gender and race specific tendencies to be a problem drinker.

Abstract

Alcohol remains the drug of choice for many adolescents; however, the nature of the relationship between athletic involvement and alcohol misuse remains ambiguous. This study used a longitudinal sample of over 600 Western New York adolescents and their families to explore the gender-specific and race-specific relationships between identification of the “jock” label and adolescent alcohol consumption, specifically problem drinking. The data were collected using a random-digit-dial procedure on a computer-assisted telephone network to obtain a regionally representative Western New York sample of 699 households containing at least 1 adolescent aged 13 to 16 and at least 1 biological or surrogate parent. Operationalization of problem drinking includes frequency measures of heavy drinking, binge drinking, and social problems related to school. The study found that self- identified adolescent “jocks” were more likely to engage in problem drinking than their non-jock counterparts, even after controlling for gender, age, race, socioeconomic status, physical maturity, social maturity, and frequency of athletic activity. Jock identification was strongly associated with higher binge drinking frequency in African-American adolescent girls. Despite efforts to ensure confidence in the anonymity of the data collection process, the respondents’ self-reports of sensitive behaviors could have been distorted in non-random ways. Subsequent analyses might examine how other adolescent identity frames, such as “preps” or “nerds” interact with the dynamics of problem drinking. This study underscores the need to distinguish between objective and subjective meanings of athletic involvement when assessing the relationship between sport and adolescent health-risk behavior. Tables, references