Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015 Aug:43:100-10.
doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2015.05.001. Epub 2015 Jun 12.

Parental problem drinking and adolescent externalizing behaviors: The mediating role of family functioning

Laura J Finan  1 , Jessica Schulz  2 , Mellissa S Gordon  3 , Christine McCauley Ohannessian  4
Affiliations

Parental problem drinking and adolescent externalizing behaviors: The mediating role of family functioning

Laura J Finan et al. J Adolesc. 2015 Aug.

Abstract

This study explored relationships among parental problem drinking, family functioning, and adolescent externalizing behaviors. The unique effects of maternal and paternal drinking were examined separately for girls and boys. The sample included 14-19 year old U.S. adolescents (Mage = 16.15; SD = .75; 52.5% female) and their parents. Participants completed surveys in the spring of 2007 and 2008. Structural equation modeling was used to conduct path analysis models. Results showed the distinctive and adverse effects of parental problem drinking on adolescent alcohol use, drug use, rule breaking, and aggressive behavior over time. Findings also highlighted the indirect and mediating roles of family functioning. For both girls and boys, family cohesion mediated the relationship between parental problem drinking and adolescent externalizing behaviors. For girls, adolescent-father communication predicted increased externalizing behaviors over time. These findings draw attention to the importance of exploring adolescent and parent gender when examining parental problem drinking, family functioning, and externalizing behaviors.

Keywords: Adolescent; Externalizing behavior; Family; Gender; Parental problem drinking.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Final model for girls with significant, standardized pathways displayed. Measurement errors have been omitted for clarity *p < .01; **p < .001; ***p < .001
Figure 2
Figure 2
Final model for boys with significant, standardized pathways displayed. Measurement errors have been omitted for clarity *p < .01; **p < .001; ***p < .001
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Achenbach TM, Rescorla LA. Manual for the ASEBA school-age forms & profiles. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont, Research Center for Children, Adolescent, & Families; 2001.
    1. Arnett JJ. Adolescent storm and stress, reconsidered. American Psychologist. 1999;54(5):317–326. - PubMed
    1. Barnes JC. Analyzing the origins of life-course-persistent offending: A consideration of environmental and genetic influences. Criminal Justice & Behavior. 2013;40(5):519–540. doi: 10.1177/0093854812458907. - DOI
    1. Barnes H, Olson DH. Parent-adolescent communication scale. Minneapolis, MN: Life Innovations, Inc; 2003.
    1. Balsa AI, Homer JF, French MT. The health effects of parental problem drinking on adult children. The Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics. 2009;12:55–66. - PubMed

Publication types