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Educational and occupational attainment and drinking behavior: an expectancy model in young adulthood
Denis M McCarthy1, Gregory A Aarons, Sandra A Brown
1Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, USA. Dmmccart@ucsd.edu
Addiction (Abingdon, England)
|June 27, 2002
Summary
Higher education levels predict lower alcohol use by influencing expectations of alcohol reinforcement. This study shows education
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Socio-economic status (SES) variables like education and occupation are linked to reduced alcohol use.
- Alcohol expectancies may mediate the relationship between SES and drinking behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively examine how education and occupational functioning relate to alcohol expectancies and involvement.
- To test if alcohol expectancies mediate the link between SES attainment and drinking behavior in young adults.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 172 young adults (100 treated, 72 community sample) with 6- and 8-year follow-ups.
- Cross-lag panel analysis used to assess relationships between education, occupation, expectancies, and alcohol use.
Main Results:
- Education showed a unique longitudinal relationship with alcohol expectancies, independent of prior alcohol use.
- Occupational variables did not demonstrate a longitudinal link with alcohol use or expectancies.
- Expectancies mediated the education-drinking relationship only in the treated sample.
Conclusions:
- Changes in educational attainment may influence alcohol involvement by altering expected reinforcement from alcohol.
- Findings suggest a pathway through which functional changes impact long-term alcohol consumption patterns.