With a little help from my friends? A longitudinal look at the role of peers versus friends on adolescent alcohol use
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Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Introduction: Alcohol is the most commonly used substance by South African adolescents. Social
norms play a key role in alcohol use, although distinctions are not always made between descriptive
and injunctive norms and peer proximity. Additionally, little research identifies factors
attenuating social norms, peer proximity, and alcohol use, such as one's ability to resist peer
influence.
Methods: The current study investigates the relationship between adolescent alcohol use in 9th
Grade and descriptive peer and injunctive friend norms in 8th grade, the moderating role of
resistance to peer influence, and sex differences. Data were from South African students
(N=3592; Mage=14) participating in the HealthWise South Africa implementation quality
trial.
Results: Path model results indicated injunctive friend norms, but not peer norms, influenced
alcohol use. Resistance to peer influence did not moderate relationships and group comparisons
found no sex differences.
Conclusion: Findings suggest social proximity shapes influences of alcohol use. Despite a differing
cultural context, findings were consistent with those from the United States, indicating social
proximity is relevant cross-culturally.
Description
Keywords
Adolescence, Alcohol use, Peer influence, Sex differences, Longitudinal analyses
Citation
Weybright, E. H., Beckmeyer, J. J., Caldwell, L. L., Wegner, L., & Smith, E. A. (2019). With a little help from my friends? A longitudinal look at the role of peers versus friends on adolescent alcohol use. Journal of Adolescence, 73, 14–17. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2019.03.007