Citation

Corte CM, Szalacha L. J. Child Adolesc. Subst. Abuse 2010; 19(5): 406-423.

Affiliation

University of Illinois at Chicago.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/1067828X.2010.515882

PMID

21113434

PMCID

PMC2989632

Abstract

We examined relationships between self-structure and known precursors for alcohol problems in 9-12 year old primarily Black and Latino youth (N=79). Parental alcohol problems and being female predicted few positive and many negative self-cognitions and a future-oriented self-cognition related to alcohol ('drinking possible self'). Nineteen percent of the sample reported ever drinking, but 40% of those with a 'drinking possible self' reported ever drinking. Compared never drinkers, youth who reported ever drinking had fewer self-cognitions. The self-structure may be an important mechanism through which parental alcohol problems and antisocial behavior lead to early alcohol use, and a viable target of interventions aimed at preventing early alcohol use.

Language: en