| dc.description.abstract | A good parent-adolescent relationship may serve as a protective factor, whereas a
poor parental relationship can lead to alcohol related problems later in life. However, the
alcohol use behaviour of adolescents may also affect the parent-adolescent relationship. The
current study focuses on alcohol use trajectories and their bidirectional relation to parental
warmth, conflict and monitoring. Data is drawn from a three-year longitudinal study
addressing adolescent risk behaviour. Participants were Dutch adolescents (N=602, mean
age=13.5 at baseline). Three adolescent drinking trajectories were identified using cluster
analysis: abstainers, initiators, and high users. Repeated measures analysis of variance was
implemented to examine the association between parenting factors and adolescent drinking
trajectories. Parental warmth, conflict and monitoring at baseline predicted which alcohol
use trajectories adolescents follow. Low warmth and monitoring, and high conflict predicted
higher use of alcohol, whereas high support and monitoring, and low conflict suggested delay
or prevention of alcohol initiation. Overall, abstainers and initiators reported high levels of
warmth, with abstainers scoring lowest on conflict and highest on all domains of monitoring.
Contrary to expectations, high users showed an increase in warmth towards fathers', whereas
a decrease in conflict with mothers' was found, which suggests avoidance of interactions.
High users reported an increase of parental monitoring (disclosure and control), implying that
parents make an effort to better monitor adolescents engaging in risky alcohol use. Results
confirm that a good parental relationship may lead to less risky adolescent drinking
behaviours which in turn will lead to more positive future outcomes.
Key words: A good parent-adolescent relationship may serve as a protective factor, whereas a
poor parental relationship can lead to alcohol related problems later in life. However, the
alcohol use behaviour of adolescents may also affect the parent-adolescent relationship. The
current study focuses on alcohol use trajectories and their bidirectional relation to parental
warmth, conflict and monitoring. Data is drawn from a three-year longitudinal study
addressing adolescent risk behaviour. Participants were Dutch adolescents (N=602, mean
age=13.5 at baseline). Three adolescent drinking trajectories were identified using cluster
analysis: abstainers, initiators, and high users. Repeated measures analysis of variance was
implemented to examine the association between parenting factors and adolescent drinking
trajectories. Parental warmth, conflict and monitoring at baseline predicted which alcohol
use trajectories adolescents follow. Low warmth and monitoring, and high conflict predicted
higher use of alcohol, whereas high support and monitoring, and low conflict suggested delay
or prevention of alcohol initiation. Overall, abstainers and initiators reported high levels of
warmth, with abstainers scoring lowest on conflict and highest on all domains of monitoring.
Contrary to expectations, high users showed an increase in warmth towards fathers', whereas
a decrease in conflict with mothers' was found, which suggests avoidance of interactions.
High users reported an increase of parental monitoring (disclosure and control), implying that
parents make an effort to better monitor adolescents engaging in risky alcohol use. Results
confirm that a good parental relationship may lead to less risky adolescent drinking
behaviours which in turn will lead to more positive future outcomes. | |
