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Defining patterns of drinking in adolescence: a cluster analytic approach
S O Hughes1, T G Power, D J Francis
1Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Texas 77004.
Journal of Studies on Alcohol
|January 1, 1992
Summary
This study identified distinct adolescent drinking patterns beyond just frequency. It found social context reveals different types of appropriate and problem drinking behaviors in young people.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Adolescent alcohol consumption research often relies on frequency of drunkenness.
- A comprehensive understanding of drinking patterns requires considering social context alongside quantity and frequency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define adolescent drinking patterns more comprehensively by incorporating social context.
- To differentiate between socially appropriate and problem drinking behaviors in adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Cluster analysis was used on frequency, quantity, and social context variables for males and females separately.
- Identified distinct drinking patterns based on social settings and individual behaviors.
Main Results:
- Four socially appropriate drinking patterns emerged: light, light party, family, and dating drinkers.
- Three problem drinking patterns were identified: school drinkers and solitary/stranger drinkers (males), and solitary/school drinkers (females).
- Significant differences in reasons for drinking and consequences were found across patterns, independent of frequency and quantity.
Conclusions:
- Social context is crucial for understanding adolescent drinking patterns beyond simple frequency or quantity.
- Drinking patterns associated with social context have unique implications for reasons and consequences, distinct from physiological effects.