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Latent variable modeling of longitudinal and multilevel alcohol use data
T E Duncan1, S C Duncan, H Hops
1Oregon Research Institute, Eugene 97403-1983, USA.
Journal of Studies on Alcohol
|July 1, 1998
Summary
Family alcohol use patterns are more similar within families than across them. Stepparent, less educated, and economically disadvantaged families showed higher alcohol use and faster development of use over time.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Longitudinal data with nested structures, such as families, present unique analytical challenges.
- Understanding the developmental trajectories of alcohol use within families is crucial for identifying risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply Multilevel Latent Growth Modeling (LGM) to analyze alcohol use within families over four years.
- To examine homogeneity of alcohol use within families and heterogeneity across families.
- To investigate the influence of family status and socioeconomic status (SES) on alcohol use patterns.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a Multilevel Latent Growth Modeling (LGM) approach.
- Analyzed data from 435 families, including adolescents and parents.
- Examined alcohol use levels and developmental trajectories over a 4-year period.
Main Results:
- Confirmed homogeneity of alcohol use levels and development within families.
- Identified heterogeneity in alcohol use across different families.
- Stepparent, less educated, and economically disadvantaged families exhibited higher alcohol use and faster development of use.
Conclusions:
- Family members' alcohol use is more similar than that of individuals from different families.
- Family status and SES significantly influence family-level alcohol use.
- Multilevel modeling incorporating family clustering offers valuable insights into alcohol use etiology and risk.