Self-Cognitions, Risk Factors for Alcohol Problems, and Drinking in Preadolescent Urban Youths

Abstract

In this study we examine relationships between self-structure and known precursors for alcohol problems in 9- to 12-year-old primarily black and Latino youths (N = 79). Parental alcohol problems and being female predicted few positive and many negative self-cognitions and a future-oriented self-cognition related to alcohol (“drinking possible self”). Nineteen percent of the sample reported ever drinking, but 40% of those with a “drinking possible self” reported ever drinking. Compared to never drinkers, youths who reported ever drinking had fewer self-cognitions. The self-structure may be an important mechanism through which parental alcohol problems and antisocial behavior lead to early alcohol use, and a viable target of interventions aimed at preventing early alcohol use.

KEYWORDS:

• adolescents
• risk behavior
• schema model of the self-concept
• theoretical model

The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the UIC College of Nursing, Midwest Nursing Research Society, NIH, NINR, Center for Reducing Risks in Vulnerable Populations, P30 NRO9014, UIC Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health, NIH, NICHD, K12 HD055892-01, and Mary Becherer and Danielle Ramirez for assistance with data collection.

Notes

Note: CAST-6 score = Children of Alcoholics Screening Test sum score; ASB-Youth score = Antisocial Behavior Checklist for Youth score.

*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.