Parent Relationships, Emotion Regulation, Psychosocial Maturity and College Student Alcohol Use Problems

• NCJ Number: 220283
• Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 36 Issue: 7 Dated: October 2007 Pages: 912-926
• Author(s): Judith L. Fischer; Larry F. Forthun; Boyd W. Pidcock; Duane A. Dowd
• Date Published: October 2007
• Length: 15 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study tested associations between problems in parent-youth relationships and problems with alcohol use among college students (N=1,592) using structural equation modeling.

Abstract

The findings indicated a possible role for college or university level interventions to discourage problematic alcohol use. Males, European Americans, and older students showed higher alcohol use problems than females, those of other ethnicity, or younger students. More broadly, this study indicated that problems with parents were linked to developmental issues that were, in turn, linked to alcohol use problems. Among college men, alcohol plays an indirect but central role in regulating emotions which suggests the possible medicinal use of alcohol to cope with unmanageable emotions that are associated with parental problems. The association between parent problems and female college students’ problematic alcohol use was mediated, in part, by women’s psychosocial maturity. Most alcohol and drug prevention activities on college campuses focus on changing students’ specific knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in regard to alcohol use. Although previous strategies such as individual-focused (curriculum infusion or specific skills training) or environmental/contextual (campus police, social norms, or other media campaigns) have been found to be somewhat effective, they ignore other important developmental processes that might also contribute to alcohol use problems. Improving the students’ ability to relate to parents could foster stronger psychosocial and emotional well-being of students throughout their college years, and might enhance alcohol and drug prevention programs. College students were recruited on three State-assisted campuses. The sample used was composed of 1,592 college students (66 percent women, 34 percent men) ranging in age from 18 to 25 years old (86 percent White/non-Hispanic, 5 percent Hispanic, 6 percent African-American, 1 percent Asian American/Pacific Islander, < 1 percent Native American/American Indian. Tables, figures, references