Gender Differences and Psychosocial Factors Associated with Alcohol Involvement and Dysphoria in Adolescence

• NCJ Number: 201719
• Journal: Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 12 Issue: 3 Dated: 2003 Pages: 45-70
• Author(s): Thomas F. Locke; Michael D. Newcomb
• Date Published: 2003
• Length: 26 pages
• Grant Number(s): DA 01070
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses gender differences between alcohol involvement and dysphoria.

Abstract

The relative correlations between alcohol involvement and dysphoria (anxiety, restlessness) and several psychosocial domains, such as social conformity, perceived opportunity, parental divorce, relationship satisfaction, and family support/bonding, were examined in this study. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used in a community sample of late adolescents. A methodology was used to determine both the unique and comorbid effects of alcohol use and dysphoria. These relations were tested, as well as relative associations between the target domains and psychosocial risk and protective factors across gender. Results show that, for both boys and girls, nearly every psychosocial factor was related to alcohol use or depressive conditions, and in some cases both. One of the main findings that differed by gender involved the association between alcohol involvement and dysphoria. A significant association between these two conditions was found for late-adolescent girls, and this relationship was reflected in a second-order latent variable representing co-morbidity between alcohol involvement and dysphoria. The latent variables of alcohol involvement and dysphoria were related for girls, and not related for boys. This may provide evidence for differential patterns of socialization by gender. Several associations between the psychosocial factors and target conditions varied by gender. Boys had a significantly stronger association between alcohol involvement and less family support/bonding than girls. This means that adolescent boys that use alcohol are more likely to have negative relationships with their family than girls. Lower satisfaction with opposite-sex friends was related to more alcohol involvement for boys and more dysphoria for girls. 3 figures, 2 tables, 74 references