The impact of parental alcohol misuse and family environment on young people’s alcohol use and behavioral problems in secondary schools

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the impact of parental alcohol misuse and family environment on young adults’ drinking and behavioral problems in secondary schools. Methods: The study used a multivariate logistic regression longitudinal analysis. The effects of parental and young adult alcohol use and family environment on school behavioral problems were estimated over 20 years from 1984 to 2004. Sample: Data were drawn from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth (NLSY79), a representative sample of the general population of the United States, and the surveys of Mother-Child and Young Adults (MCYA): mothers (N = 5634), fathers (N = 5007) and young adults (N = 4648). Results: Parental alcohol misuse increased the risk of alcohol misuse in offspring. There was a threefold rise in school behavior problems among youth from family environments in which the biological father was a heavy drinker and the marital quality of the biological parents was reported as poor and the home life was characterized by high conflict, argumentativeness, disruption and ineffectual parental monitoring as well as by low family cohesion. Conclusions: There is a need for prevention and intervention programs oriented toward reducing alcohol misuse among secondary school students. Preventive strategies should incorporate substance use, involve families and be applicable to both within and outside the school environment.