ScienceDirect® Home Skip Main Navigation Links
You have guest access to ScienceDirect. Find out more.
 
Home
Browse
My Settings
Alerts
Help
 Quick Search
 Search tips (Opens new window)
    Clear all fields    
advertisementadvertisement
Addictive Behaviors
Volume 31, Issue 12, December 2006, Pages 2268-2283
 
Font Size: Decrease Font Size  Increase Font Size
 Abstract - selected
Article
Purchase PDF (149 K)

  E-mail Article   
  Add to my Quick Links   
Bookmark and share in 2collab (opens in new window)
Request permission to reuse this article
  Cited By in Scopus (0)
 
 
 
Related Articles in ScienceDirect
View More Related Articles
 
Special issue
View Record in Scopus
 
doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2006.03.005    How to Cite or Link Using DOI (Opens New Window)
Copyright © 2006 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.

Cohort comparisons: Social learning explanations for alcohol use among adolescents and older adults

Pamela PrestonCorresponding Author Contact Information, a, E-mail The Corresponding Author and Marianne Goodfellowa

aPenn State Schuylkill, 200 University Drive, Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972, 570-385-6054, United States

Available online 2 May 2006.

Purchase the full-text article



References and further reading may be available for this article. To view references and further reading you must purchase this article.

Abstract

Some researchers have suggested that theories of delinquency are appropriate to the study of deviant behavior among older adults. This study compares the relative effects of social learning variables on alcohol use and abuse by adolescents and older adults. Two sub-samples–aged 12–17 (N = 17709) and aged 65 and older (N = 2019)–were created from the 2002 National Household Survey of Drug Use and Health, a national probability sample of persons aged 12 and older in the United States. Data show that the frequency of alcohol use for adolescents is positively associated with personal approval of daily alcohol use and the number of peers who get drunk at least once a week, while older adult frequency is positively associated with personal approval of daily alcohol use and number of peers who use alcohol. Alcohol abuse by adolescents is correlated with personal approval of daily alcohol use, the number of peers who drink alcohol, and the number of peers who get drunk at least once a week. Among the older adult sub-sample only personal approval of daily alcohol use and number of peers who use alcohol is significantly associated with abuse. These findings provide evidence for the merits of applying social learning variables to understanding deviance among diverse age cohorts.

Article Outline

1. Differential association theory and alcohol use: relevance to marginalized groups
2. Past research
2.1. Adolescent alcohol use and peer influence
2.2. Older adult alcohol use and peer influence
3. Methodology
3.1. Data
3.2. Operationalization
4. Results
4.1. Bivariate analysis
4.2. Multivariate analysis
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion
References

Addictive Behaviors
Volume 31, Issue 12, December 2006, Pages 2268-2283
 
Home
Browse
My Settings
Alerts
Help
Elsevier.com (Opens new window)
About ScienceDirect  |  Contact Us  |  Information for Advertisers  |  Terms & Conditions  |  Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. ScienceDirect® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V.