Parents as socalization agents: Effects of parent-child communication about alcohol and youth alcohol use

Studies suggest that positive parent-child relationships are a protective factor for adolescent children's psychological, social, and behavioral development. In particular, past research demonstrates that parent-child communication about ATOD (alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs) positively impacts youth substance use. Through conversations, it is believed that parents serve as anti-drug socialization agents by communicating their normative disapproval of substance use to children. The present study examined this hypothesized effect, postulating that parent-child communication about alcohol indirectly effects youth alcohol use via parental anti-drug injunctive norms. The sample consisted of 971 adolescents (80% Mexican heritage; 10.1% African American; 6.4% European American; .5% Asian) from 23 public schools in Phoenix, AZ who completed surveys at three waves from 5th through 6th grades (50.5% girls; Mage = 11.85 years). Results from longitudinal path analysis supported the predictions that parent-child communication about alcohol and parental anti-drug injunctive norms each significantly reduced youth alcohol consumption and, as predicted, parent-child communication about alcohol strongly influenced youth's perception of parental anti-drug injunctive norms, which in turn led to reduce alcohol consumption. This study demonstrates the beneficial effects of parent-child communication based on conveying anti-drug norms about alcohol. Findings suggest implications for family-based prevention intervention.