The crown of love: intimate relations and alcohol use in adolescence

Abstract

Background: Remarkably, little attention has been paid to the role of intimate partners and their drinking behavior in relation to adolescent alcohol use. In the current study, we examined associations between adolescent alcohol use and romantic partners’ drinking behavior. Methods: A total of 428 families, consisting of both parents and two adolescents (aged 13.4 and 15.2 at Time 1) participated in a prospective study with four annual waves. Correlations and multivariate regressions were used to examine (1) similarity in drinking behaviors of adolescents and intimate partners, (2) whether alcohol use of partners prospectively predicts adolescent alcohol consumption, and (3) whether adolescents who consume alcohol select partners over time who show similar drinking behaviors. Results: (1) Frequency of alcohol consumption of adolescents and of their romantic partners correlated significantly. (2) Alcohol use of partners was not predictive of adolescent alcohol consumption over time, if previous levels of alcohol consumption were taken into account. (3) Adolescents acquired partners with similar drinking behaviors. Gender effects were found; adolescent girls, but not boys, were more likely to become involved with partners who also frequently consumed alcohol. Conclusions: Regarding alcohol consumption, adolescents and their intimate partners were relatively similar in alcohol use. This resemblance is best explained by adolescents’ selection of future partner on the basis of alcohol consumption. Less indication was found for influence effects, perhaps due to the transient nature of most adolescent romantic relationships

Romantic partner selection and socialization of young adolescents’ substance use and behavior problems

“…A romantic partner is the fourth most likely person to offer drugs to an adolescent, but is second only to a family member in terms of being difficult to refuse; approximately half of the offers from romantic partners are accepted (Trost, Langan, & Kellar-Guenther, 1999). Although van der Zwalau et al (2009) found no evidence for romantic partner socialization on adolescents’ alcohol use, these findings may reflect methodological issues resulting from source bias about alcohol use or data collected after relationships (and socialization) were initiated.…”

“…However, we know little about these types of selection effects during adolescence. In one of the few related studies, Dutch adolescents reported significant concordance in their own and their partners’ alcohol use (van der Zwalau, et al, 2009). However, in this as well as many other studies, reports of partner behavior were provided by participants after the relationship had begun, making it difficult to estimate pure selection effects.…”

Adolescent romantic couples influence on substance use in young adulthood

“…Thus, the adolescents most susceptible to partner influences may be those who find a romantic partner with levels of drug use widely divergent from their own. This is in contrast to van der Zwaluw and colleagues (2009); however, the results of this study utilized data from both individuals rather than having participants report on their partners substance use.…”

“…Additionally, studies have tended to rely on second-hand reports of substance use behavior rather than couple-based report (i.e. information gathered from both partners;van der Zwaluw et al, 2009). Lastly, previous research has drawn on primarily cross-sectional samples or retrospective survey data, thus prohibiting examination of these relations across time.…”

Targets for primary prevention: Cultural, social and intrapersonal factors associated with co-occurring health-related behaviours

“…Another explanation involves selection, i.e. people seek other people exhibiting their preferred behaviours (Engels, Knibbe, Drop, & De Haan, 1997;Van der Zwaluw et al, 2009).…”