A theoretical approach to studying health behaviors in adolescents: An at-risk population

Abstract

Alcohol use and misuse among adolescents is a major health problem that has been targeted for intervention at the national level. Studies show that alcohol use often begins in preadolescence (8 to 11 years) and, for some youths, escalates to heavy use during senior high school. A number of factors, such as parental and peer norms and attitudes, environmental influences, and self-efficacy, have been identified as predicting alcohol use. Less is known about how school and pubertal transitions affect alcohol use or how alcohol use and misuse affect health outcome. Although a number of factors related to alcohol use and misuse have been identified, frameworks to organize these factors into a theoretically coherent schema are still being explored. The revised health-promotion model adapted for adolescents is a potentially viable framework for organizing the antecedents of alcohol use and misuse in children and adolescents. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which alcohol use and misuse are initiated and maintained will facilitate the development of interventions for diverse populations of adolescents.