Significant Predictors Of Alcohol Use Research Articles

Relationship Between Dark Triad, Coping Styles, Sensation Seeking And Substance Use Among Youth

Aims: This study aimed to analyze the frequency of substance use in young people and to determine to what extent consumption is defined by the Dark triad of Personality, sensation seeking and stress coping styles. Methods: The study was conducted on 367 participants aged 18 to 30 years. The questionnaire was composed of the sociodemographic questionnaire, the Short Dark Triad (SD-3), Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (COPE), and the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS-V). Results: Our results showed that young people most frequently use marijuana, followed by psychostimulants (cocaine, speed, crystal methamphetamine), psychostimulants with hallucinogenic properties (MDMA) and finally hallucinogenic drugs (LSD, PCP). Reported alcohol use was moderate to frequent. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that statistically significant predictors of psychoactive substance use explaining 45.1% of total variance were age, gender, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, boredom susceptibility, disinhibition and experience seeking. Statistically significant predictors of alcohol use explaining 19.6% of total variance were avoidant coping, disinhibition and sensation seeking. Conclusion: These findings are useful in both the theoretical and practical domains of psychology in detecting groups at risk for later development of psychoactive substance use.

Acute use of alcohol before suicide in Kazakhstan: A population-wide study

BackgroundAcute use of alcohol is a proximal risk factor for suicidal behavior and suicide attempts. Previous studies have established that alcohol consumption prior to suicide increases the risk of suicide completion. Thus, the current study aims to explore the association between alcohol use and suicide mortality in Kazakhstan. This is the first study to address this association in Kazakhstan. MethodsThe main outcome measure was the presence of alcohol in blood of suicide decedents. Logistic regression models were used to test unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios of the risk of suicide involving acute use of alcohol. Regression modeling was used to identify significant predictors of alcohol use among suicide decedents. ResultsMales (22.5 %) used alcohol more commonly before conducting suicide than females (13.4 %). The odds of alcohol involvement was 2.73 times higher for males compared to females after controlling for age and other covariates. Being a male younger than 45 years old and using suicide methods such as poisoning, immolation, and drowning increased the odds of acute use of alcohol among suicide decedents. LimitationsData on alcohol use included information only on individuals with a positive alcohol test, and it is unknown how many suicide decedents were not tested for alcohol. ConclusionsAlcohol use is common factor contributing to suicide, particularly among young and middle-aged male adults. Alcohol use is also associated more strongly with certain methods of suicide. Further studies and more detailed data exploring alcohol consumption and suicide risks are needed in countries such as Kazakhstan.

Limited Evidence of Associations Between Executive Functioning and Alcohol Involvement In UK Adolescents.

AimsDeficits in motor inhibitory control and working memory have been hypothesized to be both a cause and consequence of heavy alcohol use. Adolescence is a critical developmental stage for inhibitory control and working memory, and it is also a stage when individuals are most likely to initiate alcohol use. This study aimed to examine whether inhibitory control and working memory would predict alcohol use and involvement in a group of UK adolescents.MethodsWe recruited 220 (N = 178, female) adolescents, aged between 16 and 18, from eight higher education settings in the Merseyside region of the UK. Alcohol use was examined using the Timeline Follow-Back and involvement (and related problems) using the Adolescent Alcohol Involvement Scale. A reward-based inhibitory control task (Go/No-Go) was used to examine the inhibition and reward sensitivity, and a self-ordered pointing task was used to measure working memory.ResultsMultiple regression demonstrated that neither inhibitory control (b = 0.02 (95% confidence interval (CI): −0.21, 0.24)) nor working memory (b = −0.12 (95% CI: −0.30, 0.07)) were significant predictors of alcohol use (units consumed). Inhibitory control (b = 0.61 (95% CI: 0.12, 1.09), specifically, in the no reward condition and school deprivation (b = 0.67 (95% CI: 0.06, 1.28) significantly predicted alcohol-related problems.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrated limited evidence that deficits in specific mechanisms of executive functioning (i.e. motor inhibition and working memory) were associated with alcohol-related problems in UK adolescents. This study adds to an increasing body of literature suggesting weak or non-existent links between inhibitory control, working memory and alcohol use.

A prospective study of the association between rate of nicotine metabolism and alcohol use in tobacco users in the United States

BackgroundRate of nicotine metabolism has been identified as a biochemical risk factor for nicotine use and dependence; however, its role in alcohol consumption and related outcomes is not well understood. The current research examined nicotine metabolism rate as a risk factor for alcohol use among current tobacco users. We also examined sex differences in these associations. MethodData were taken from Waves 1 and 2 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, a national longitudinal study of tobacco use and associated health outcomes. The nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR) was calculated as the ratio of trans-3’ hydroxycotinine to cotinine in urine samples provided at wave 1. Alcohol use outcomes included past 30-day NIAAA-defined hazardous drinking status, total drinks, and alcohol-related consequences. All analyses controlled for alcohol use at Wave 1. ResultsNMR at Wave 1 predicted increased odds of meeting hazardous drinking criteria, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.14, 95 % CI = 1.06; 1.23, p = 0.001, greater total alcohol consumption amount, adjusted rate ratio (aRR) = 1.21, 95 % CI = 1.12; 1.30, p < 0.001, and more alcohol consequences, aRR = 1.07, 95 % CI = 1.01; 1.13, p = 0.018, at wave 2. No significant sex differences were identified. NMR remained a significant predictor of alcohol use in models controlling for severity of nicotine exposure in cigarette smokers. ConclusionsNMR may be a shared risk factor for harmful nicotine and alcohol use that contributes to their co-occurrence.

Positive and negative metacognitions about alcohol: Validity of the Norwegian PAMS and NAMS

A growing body of research has demonstrated that metacognitions are associated with alcohol use and other addictive behaviours. In the present study (N = 588), we investigated the validity of the Positive Alcohol Metacognitions Scale (PAMS) and the Negative Alcohol Metacognitions Scale (NAMS). The results supported two-factor solutions for both the PAMS and NAMS, but three items from the PAMS were deleted. These metacognitive measures distinguished between participants in low, moderate, and high-risk groups. Significant correlations were observed with alcohol use, and both PAMS and NAMS were unique significant predictors of alcohol use whilst controlling for demographics and negative affect. The validity of the Norwegian versions of PAMS and NAMS confirm previous findings and provide further support for the importance of metacognitions in alcohol use.

Effectiveness of a drug use prevention program on alcohol use and drunkenness among schoolchildren

Abstract Introduction Unplugged is a universal drug prevention program consisting of 12 lessons and intended for primary schools. In the school year 2017/2018, Unplugged was implemented in the Slovak Republic in the 7th grade. Objective To examine the effectiveness of Unplugged on lifetime prevalence of drunkenness and alcohol use during the last 30 days as well as the moderation effect of gender in these relationships. Furthermore, the role of smoking in relation to alcohol use and drunkenness was monitored. Methods The study has been designed as a cluster randomized controlled trial with data collection before the program implementation and immediately after the implementation. In total, 486 schoolchildren participated in the trial (M = 13.05; 49.6% boys) and were randomly assigned to either an experimental (N = 277) or control group (N = 209). Binary logistic regression was applied and adjusted for gender and baseline risk behaviour. Results There was no significant effect of Unplugged and no moderation effect of gender with regard to lifetime prevalence of drunkenness. However, smoking was also reported by those schoolchildren who reported drunkenness (OR 6.735; 95%CI 3.210-14.132). A significant program effect was found regarding the prevalence of alcohol use during the last 30 days. The schoolchildren in the experimental group had lower alcohol use in comparison to the control group (OR 0.501; 95%CI 0.253-0.993). The moderation effect of gender showed that the program had an effect on alcohol consumption in boys. After completing Unplugged, alcohol consumption in boys decreased significantly (OR 3.222; 95%CI 1.158-8.962). The results also confirmed that smoking is related to the prevalence of alcohol use during the last 30 days (OR 3.109; 95% CI 1.226-7.885). Conclusions The findings confirmed that Unplugged reduced alcohol use among boys. It has been also shown that smoking is a significant predictor of alcohol use and drunkenness. Key messages The findings point to the role of gender differences in the effectiveness of a prevention program. The effectiveness of the preventive program is more pronounced for those schoolchildren who are more likely to use alcohol before the program, especially boys.

Family, School, and Peer Influences on Alcohol Abstinence and Use among American Indian and White Female Adolescents

ABSTRACTThis analysis is informed by social bonding, social learning, and self-control theories and is based on data collected between 2009 and 2013 in 27 school districts located in five U. S. regions. The sample (N = 2,140) includes female adolescents (7th–12th graders) who identified themselves as white or American Indian. In support of the social learning theory, pro-alcohol use definitions, association with peers who drink excessively, and the peers’ differential reinforcement of alcohol abuse are significant predictors of alcohol use in the racially integrated model. Conversely, when controlling for a selected group of predictors, one’s level of self-control and measures of social bond are no longer differentiating alcohol users from abstainers. Yet, additional mediation analyses show that the lack of family attachment, parental monitoring, and school attachment have significant indirect effects on alcohol use.

The Relationship Between Parenting Styles and Substance Use Among University Students

Parenting styles are important in the behavioral development of adolescents. The environment created by the parent, in regards to communication with their child and level of independence given to their child, may influence the child’s susceptibility to risk behaviors. This study examines the relationship between parenting style and substance use among university students. We hypothesized that university students exposed to lower levels of autonomy granting (AG) or parental involvement (PI) parenting styles would have an increased likelihood of alcohol and nicotine use. We also hypothesized that religiosity, parental education level, ethnicity, and gender would act as moderators of parenting styles and alcohol and nicotine use. Data from a diverse university-wide sample was collected in the fall semester of the student’s freshman year from 2011-2014 (N = 9889, 61.5% female). Results demonstrated that AG had a significant, negative association with alcohol use (B = -0.033, p = 0.006) and nicotine use (B = -0.066, p &lt;0.001). All moderators were found to be significant predictors of alcohol use, however only father education level demonstrated a borderline significant moderation of the relationship between PI and alcohol use. Religiosity, Black race, Asian race, and gender were found to be significant predictors of nicotine use. Only gender moderated the association between PI and nicotine use. Even though alcohol and nicotine use and AG were associated, our results indicate that once students enter university, previous parenting style does not have a strong effect on alcohol and nicotine use behaviors in our sample. KEYWORDS: Parenting Styles; University Students; Risky Behaviors; Autonomy Granting; Parental Involvement; Alcohol; Nicotine; Drug; Behavioral Biology; Substance Use

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OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Impulsivity is a significant predictor of alcohol use and drinking behavior, and has been shown to be a critical trait in those with alcohol use disorder. Suggestibility, or susceptibility to social influence, has been shown to correlate with impulsivity, with highly suggestible individuals being more likely to make impulsive decisions influenced by peer groups. However, the relationship between social influence and drinking behavior is unclear. Our objective was to describe the relationship between social influence and impulsivity traits using the social delayed discounting task and potential differences in intravenous alcohol self-administration (IV-ASA) behavior. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Healthy, non-dependent drinkers (n=20) completed a CAIS session, which consisted of an initial 25-minute priming phase, where subjects were prompted to push a button to receive individually standardized IV alcohol infusions, followed by a 125-minute phase during which they could push the button for additional infusions. IV-ASA measures included the peak (PEAK) and average (AVG) BrAC and Number of Button Presses (NBP). Participants completed a social delayed discounting task (SDDT), where participants were presented with the choice of a small, sooner (SS) reward or a large, later (LL) reward. Before starting the task, participants chose peers who selected either the impulsive (SI) or non-impulsive choice (S). Intermittently, the peers’ choice was not shown (X) or different choices (D) were selected. Participants also completed the MISS, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, and the NEO personality inventory. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Participants with higher suggestibility scores had greater NBP, AVG, and PEAK BrAC in the early phase of the IV-ASA session. Higher scores on the MISS were also correlated with higher impulsivity scores including the NEO Neuroticism (N-factor) measure, BIS-11, and UPPS-P. Results also showed that the MISS score was inversely correlated with the percent of impulsive choices in the SDDT, but that this was independent of peers’ impulsive or nonimpulsive choices. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: These results indicate that non-dependent drinkers that were more susceptible to social influence had heavier drinking patterns, higher IV-ASA, and higher scores on impulsivity measures. In addition, individuals that were more susceptible to social influence made more impulsive choices in general, but those choices were not affected by peer decisions during the task. As such, susceptibility to social influence may be an important determinant of impulsive choices, particularly in relation to alcohol consumption.

The Role of Religion in Predicting Adolescent Alcohol Use and Problem Drinking

This paper was coauthored with Tamara L. Brown, Rick S. Zimmerman and Clarenda M. Phillips. There are racial differences in adolescents’ propensity to consume alcohol — with white adolescents tending to consume more alcohol than black adolescents — but there is no clear explanation for why such differences exist. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between religiosity, a cultural factor that is not well understood currently, and racial differences in adolescent alcohol use. Method: Participants were white and black ninth-grade adolescents (N = 899; 54% female, 57.5% white) involved in a 3-year longitudinal study of ways to reduce alcohol use and sexual risk-taking behavior among adolescents in Ohio and Kentucky. Results: Findings indicate that religiosity is differentially associated with alcohol use and problem drinking for white and black adolescents. Religious service attendance was the most significant predictor of alcohol use for black adolescents, whereas religious fundamentalism was most important for white adolescents. In contrast, frequency of prayer was the significant predictor of problem drinking for black adolescents, whereas the level of importance placed on religion was the significant predictor for white adolescents. Important gender differences also emerged in both prediction models and are discussed. Conclusions: Since there is great heterogeneity among adolescents (in terms of race and gender) in their alcohol use and misuse, the “one-size-fits-all” approach to alcohol treatment and prevention is likely inappropriate. Moreover, conceptualizations of alcohol use and misuse, and its prevention and treatment, should include the consideration of such key cultural factors as religiosity.

A Quantitative Analysis of Latino Acculturation and Alcohol Use: Myth Versus Reality.

Research on health among Latinos often focuses on acculturation processes and the associated stressors that influence drinking behavior. Given the common use of acculturation measures and the state of the knowledge on alcohol-related health among Latino populations, the current analyses tested the efficacy of acculturation measures to predict various indicators of alcohol consumption. Specifically, this quantitative review assessed the predictive utility of acculturation on alcohol consumption behaviors (frequency, volume, and quantity). Two main analyses were conducted-a p-curve analysis and a meta-analysis of the observed associations between acculturation and drinking behavior. Results demonstrated that current measures of acculturation are a statistically significant predictor of alcohol use (Z=-20.75, p<0.0001). The meta-analysis included a cumulative sample size of 29,589 Latino participants across 31 studies. A random-effects model yielded a weighted average correlation of 0.16 (95% confidence interval=0.12, 0.19). Additional subgroup analyses examined the effects of gender and using different scales to measure acculturation. Altogether, results demonstrated that acculturation is a useful predictor of alcohol use. In addition, the meta-analysis revealed that a small positive correlation exists between acculturation and alcohol use in Latinos with a between-study variance of only 1.5% (τ2 =0.015). Our analyses reveal that the association between current measures of acculturation and alcohol use is relatively small.

Contextual Factors That Influence Alcohol Use Behaviors

ABSTRACTThis study tests a multilevel model of factors that affect adolescents' decisions to use alcohol. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to estimate the variance in alcohol use accounted for by the influences of individual, social, and neighborhood factors. Social factors are significant predictors of alcohol use across several models tested, while selected neighborhood factors were generally not. Results indicate that social and community contexts have important effects on adolescent alcohol use, and that social influences were more significant predictors of alcohol use than neighborhood factors for this sample.

Environmental risks outweigh dopaminergic genetic risks for alcohol use and abuse from adolescence through early adulthood

BackgroundAlcohol use is a primary public health concern, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Based on the rapidly growing field of gene-environment models, this study assessed the combined role of environmental and dopamine-related genetic correlates of early alcohol use and abuse. MethodsMultilevel growth models assessed trajectories of alcohol use and intoxication and ordered logistic regressions assessed alcohol use disorder among a sample of 12,437 youth from the nationally representative Add Health study who were followed from mid-adolescence through early adulthood. ResultsEndogenous and exogenous stressful life events and social norms supportive of alcohol use from parents and peers were significant predictors of alcohol use, intoxication, and alcohol use disorder, with consistent patterns across males and females. In contrast, a dopamine-system genetic risk score (GRS) was not associated with alcohol use trajectories nor alcohol use disorder in early adulthood, although weak connections emerged between the GRS and growth trajectories of intoxication, indicating that higher GRS predicted more frequent episodes of intoxication during the transition to adulthood but not during adolescence or later 20s. No evidence of gene-environment interactions emerged. ConclusionsResults extend a substantial body of prior research primarily assessing single genetic polymorphisms in the dopamine system, suggesting that dopaminergic GRSs may be associated with more problematic alcohol behaviors at some developmental periods, but further, that social norms and stressful life experiences are more consistent correlates of early and problematic alcohol use among youth. These environmental factors present potential targets for research manipulating contexts to identify causal pathways.

The Impact of Intergenerational Cultural Dissonance on Alcohol Use Among Vietnamese and Cambodian Adolescents in the United States

PurposeRates of alcohol use may be increasing among Asian-American adolescents. Among youth from Asian-immigrant families, intergenerational cultural dissonance (ICD), a difference in acculturation between children and caregivers, is associated with adverse childhood outcomes. This study investigates the longitudinal association of ICD and alcohol use among youth from immigrant Vietnamese and Cambodian families in the United States. MethodsTwo waves of annual data, wave 4 (baseline for this study) and wave 5 (follow-up), were obtained from the Cross-Cultural Families Project, a longitudinal study of 327 Vietnamese and Cambodian immigrant families in Washington State. The Asian-American Family Conflicts Scale was used to measure ICD. Adolescent alcohol use was measured as any drinking in the past 30 days. A multiple logistic regression model was estimated with the outcome, alcohol use, measured at the follow-up visit and all predictors, including ICD, measured at baseline. Sex, nationality, nativity, and acculturation were tested as modifiers of the ICD-alcohol use relationship. ResultsNine percent of adolescents (age range 13–18 years) reported alcohol use at baseline and this increased significantly (p < .0001) to 16% one year later. ICD was associated with increased odds of alcohol use at follow-up (odds ratio: 1.57; 95% confidence interval: 1.03–2.41; p = .04). None of the interactions were statistically significant. ConclusionsICD is a significant predictor of alcohol use among Vietnamese and Cambodian adolescents. Interventions that should be targeted toward reducing ICD through enhancing parent-child communication and teaching bicultural competence skills may help prevent alcohol use problems among youth from immigrant families.

Predicting Alcohol, Cigarette, and Marijuana Use From Preferential Music Consumption.

This study investigated whether use of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana may be predicted from preferential consumption of particular music genres. Undergraduates (257 women and 78 men) completed a questionnaire assessing these variables. Partial correlation analyses, controlling for sensation-seeking tendencies and behaviors, revealed that listening to conventional music (pop, country, and religious genres) was negatively correlated with cigarette smoking (p=.001) and marijuana use (p<.001). Additionally, listening to energetic music (rap or hip-hop and soul or funk genres) was positively correlated with marijuana use (p=.004). The only significant predictor of alcohol use was country music, with which it was positively correlated (p=.04). This research suggests an especially harmful influence of energetic music on marijuana use.

S31 * EPIGENETIC MECHANISMS OF ALCOHOLISM: FROM PRENATAL STAGE TO ADULTHOOD

S31 * EPIGENETIC MECHANISMS OF ALCOHOLISM: FROM PRENATAL STAGE TO ADULTHOOD

Temptation to Drink as a Predictor of Drinking Outcomes Following Psychosocial Treatment for Alcohol Dependence

Alcohol craving, defined as the subjective experience of an urge or desire to use alcohol, has been identified in numerous settings as a significant predictor of alcohol use and alcohol relapse following treatment for alcohol use disorders. Yet, numerous limitations to the conceptualization and measurement of drinking temptation have led many researchers to question whether self-reported drinking temptation is a useful construct for evaluating treatments for alcohol use disorders. Secondary analyses of data from Project MATCH, a multisite randomized clinical trial, were conducted to examine the association between a single-item measure of self-reported "temptation to drink" and drinking outcomes. The first goal was to determine whether temptation to drink changed during the course of treatment for alcohol dependence. The second goal was to assess the predictive validity of temptation to drink, assessed during the fourth session of treatment, as a predictor of past 30-day drinking rates and past 90-day drinking-related consequences at 1 and 3 years following treatment. The temptation to drink decreased significantly during treatment, and self-reported temptation to drink during the fourth session of treatment was significantly associated with numerous drinking outcomes (including quantity, frequency, and consequences) at 1 year posttreatment (R = 0.04 to 0.11) and number of drinks per drinking day at 3 years following treatment (R = 0.02). A dichotomous measure of temptation to drink (not at all tempted vs. all other levels of temptation) had greater sensitivity as a predictor of drinking outcomes at 1 and 3 years posttreatment than alternative drinking measures (e.g., any drinking, any heavy drinking days) assessed during treatment. A single-item measure of temptation to drink was a reasonable predictor of short- and long-term drinking outcomes following treatment and comparable to commonly used measures of drinking outcomes for alcohol clinical trials.

A Longitudinal Investigation of the Predictability of the Three-Factor Model of the Important People Inventory

Objective: Because of psychometric limitations and varied adaptations of the Important People Inventory (IP; a measure of alcohol social support), Groh et al. (7) performed factor analyses and created a three-factor model (i.e., Support for Drinking from Network Members, Drinking Behaviors of Network Members, and General Social Support). This present study examined the ability of the three-factor model to predict alcohol use. Methods: This study consisted of 293 women and 604 men who were US residents of a network of self-run recovery homes known as Oxford House (OH). Logistic regression models were run. The first model examined which of the three IP factors was the best predictor of alcohol use over a 4-month period; next, models compared Drinking Behaviors of Network Members (the three-factor model) and Network Support for Drinking from Network Members (the original two-factor model) as predictors of 4-month alcohol use. Results: Of the three factors measuring general support, network drinking behaviors, and support for drinking, Drinking Behaviors of Network Members was the only significant predictor of alcohol use over a 4-month period. Additionally, this component was a better predictor of drinking than the Support for Drinking from Network Members summary score from the original model. Conclusions: Compared to the original model, this new three-factor model of the IP is shorter, has stronger internal reliability, and is a better predictor of alcohol use over time. It is strongly recommended that researchers continue to explore the utility of this new model.

The Prevalence of and Motivation for Drug and Alcohol Use among Black African Minorities in England

The current study examined the prevalence of and motivation for drug and alcohol use among black African minorities in England. Participants, comprising 82 males (i.e., 71.9%) and 32 females (i.e., 28.1%), aged 18 to 60 years, were recruited through contact on the streets, and from recreation centres, bus stations, train stations, and shopping centres in Liverpool, Manchester, and London. A self-report anonymous questionnaire covering drug and alcohol use and measures of impulsivity (i.e., sensation seeking, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance and urgency) was administered. Although the results suggest a low level of illicit drug use, a significant number of the participants admitted to alcohol use. While predicting the motivation for alcohol use via the Whiteside and Lynam (2001) measures of impulsivity, a lack of premeditation was significantly attributed to motivation for alcohol use among the participants. Other impulsivity measures, such as sensation seeking, urgency, and lack of perseverance, do not appear to be significant predictors of alcohol use, but there were significant relationships between urgency, lack of premeditation and patterns of alcohol use. The implications of the findings in terms of policy formulation on drug treatment services are emphasised.

Individual and Contextual Effects of School Adjustment on Adolescent Alcohol Use

This paper examines the effect of a student's own school adjustment as well as the contextual level of school adjustment (the normative level of school adjustment among students in a school) on students' self-reported use of alcohol. Using a dataset of 43,465 male and female 8th grade students from 349 schools across the contiguous United States who participated in a national study of substance use in rural communities between 1996 and 2000, multilevel latent covariate models were utilized to disentangle the individual-level and contextual effects of three school adjustment variables (i.e., school bonding, behavior at school, and friend's school bonding) on alcohol use. All three school adjustment factors were significant predictors of alcohol use both within and between schools. Furthermore, this study demonstrated a strong contextual effect: Students who attended schools where the overall level of school adjustment was higher reported lower levels of alcohol use even after taking their own school adjustment into account. The results demonstrate the importance of both a student's own level of school adjustment and the normative level of school adjustment among students in the school on an adolescent's use of alcohol. Differences in school adjustment across schools were quite strongly related to an adolescent's own alcohol use, indicating that school adjustment is an important aspect of school climate. Initiatives aimed at improving school climate may have beneficial effects on students' alcohol use.