Abstract: Exploration of Pathways to Binge Drinking Among American Indian Adolescents (Society for Prevention Research 26th Annual Meeting)

Schedule:

Thursday, May 31, 2018

Congressional C (Hyatt Regency Washington, Washington, DC)

* noted as presenting author

Summer Rosenstock, PhD, Assistant Scientist, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Mary Cwik, PhD, Assistant Scientist, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Lauren Tingey, PhD, Assistant Scientist, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Cleve Redmond, PhD, Research Scientist, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Novalene Goklish, MS, Senior Research Program Coordinator, The Johns Hopkins University, Whiteriver, AZ

Francene Larzelere, MS, Senior Research Program Coordinator II, The Johns Hopkins University, Whiteriver, AZ

Mariddie Craig, N/A, JHU, The Johns Hopkins University, Whiteriver, AZ

Allison Barlow, PhD, Director, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Introduction: American Indian (AI) youth report the highest prevalence rate of past 30-day binge drinking (14.06%) of any sub-population in the US. Previous studies have identified risk and protective factors for binge drinking, but few theoretical models specific to this population and type of problematic drinking have been tested. This paper uses Structural Equation Modeling to understand the relationships between individual, family, peer, and cultural factors that have previously been found to predict or protect against binge drinking behavior among AI adolescents ages 10-19 years old.

Methods: A cross-sectional, case-control study was completed with 68 AI youth who required medical attention due to a recent binge drinking event (past 90 days) and 55 controls with no lifetime history of this behavior. Participants completed a one-time self-report assessment inclusive of socio-demographics, psychosocial outcomes, substance use, risk behaviors, family and social interactions, and cultural identity and engagement. A theoretical model was developed based on prior analyses on risk and protective factors for binge drinking in this study population (Tingey et al. 2016). The hypothesized model proposed that stressful events would impact family functioning and peer relationships. In addition, family functioning would be associated with peer relationships and impulsivity, both of which would be related to binge drinking risk. This model was tested with structural equation modeling in Mplus using the WLSMV robust least squares estimator.

Results (*p<0.05, **p<0.01): The final model (χ2 (16) = 10.909, p = .815; RMSEA = 0.000; CFI = 1.00; TLI = 1.126) showed that as stressful life events increased, family functioning decreased (0.294*) and peer relationships worsened (0.319**); as family functioning decreased, peer relationships worsened (0.272**) and impulsivity increased (0.055**). Higher impulsivity (1.775**) was associated with greater risk of binge drinking. The model was also stratified by cultural identity and engagement. The path between peer relationships and having engaged in binge drinking was statistically significant for those reporting lower cultural identity (0.150*), but not for those reporting higher cultural identity (-0.005). This was the only path in which differences in cultural identity were statistically significant.

Conclusion: The theoretical model tested indicated that stressful life events, lower family functioning, poor peer relationships, and higher adolescent impulsivity had statistically significant direct and indirect effects on risk of binge drinking. Additionally, preliminary findings suggested strong cultural identity may convey some protection against the relationship between poor peer relationships and binge alcohol use.

Abstract: Exploration of Pathways to Binge Drinking Among American Indian Adolescents (Society for Prevention Research 26th Annual Meeting)

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