Adolescent alcohol reduction and cessation expectancies

Although many youths reduce or stop drinking without formal treatment, little is known of cognitive mechanisms influencing such alcohol change efforts during adolescence. The present research examines alcohol cessation expectancies of adolescents in the context of a cognitive-behavioral de-escalation model of alcohol use. Grounded in Developmental Social Information Processing theory (Coie and Dodge, 1998) and empirical findings on adolescent self-change process, alcohol cessation expectancies are defined as anticipated consequences of ceasing or decreasing drinking. The present study is the first to develop a measure of adolescent alcohol cessation expectancies.

A 23-item measure was administered to 5,446 high school students (51% female) as part of a survey on alcohol and drug use.

Using data for adolescents who reported any history of alcohol use (N = 3,098), exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified expectations of global changes and social effects. Expectancy factor structure was examined within drinking groups (light, moderate, heavy drinkers) and as a function of age and change goal (reduction and cessation). Predictive validity of the expectancy measure was examined for youth who reported efforts to decrease or stop drinking during the prior year. Our results suggest greater differentiation in cessation expectancies with increased alcohol experience. The findings also provide evidence that youth cessation expectancies uniquely predict alcohol change efforts over and above alcohol use and problems.

Youths maintain several types of alcohol reduction/cessation expectancies predictive of behavioral change efforts. Articulation of this construct for youth contributes to an understanding of mechanisms involved in adolescent efforts to reduce or stop drinking.