Psychosocial Influences on Alcohol Use and Abuse in Adolescents and Young Adults

The developmental period of late adolescence and emerging adulthood is characterized by identity exploration and efforts to establish autonomy (Arnett, 2000). This developmental period is also marked by high levels of engagement in alcohol use and other risk behaviors including other drug use, high risk sexual behavior, and aggression (Jessor & Jessor, 1977; Kelley, Schochet, & Landry, 2004). With peak rates of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) occurring around age 18 (Grant et al., 2004), and rapid declines in AUDS beginning in the mid twenties (Li, Hewett, & Grant, 1997), it is critical to identify risk factors for heavy drinking and negative alcohol-related consequences during adolescence and emerging adulthood. Much of my research over the past 15 years has been dedicated to this pursuit. A consistent risk factor among both adolescents and emerging adults is strong beliefs about the positive effects of alcohol, referred to as alcohol expectancies (Jones, Corbin, & Fromme, 2001).  Alcohol expectancies develop prior to drinking experience and predict progression to heavy drinking and the experience of alcohol-related problems (Christiansen, Smith, Roehling, & Goldman, 1989). Expectancies have also been found to moderate the relation between alcohol use and other risk behaviors. For example, strong expectations of alcohol induced sexual enhancement moderate the relation between alcohol use and unprotected sexual behavior (Corbin & Fromme, 2002), and expectations of tension reduction moderate the relation between sexual victimization and alcohol consumption (Corbin, Bernat, Calhoun, McNair & Seals, 2001). Finally, global positive expectancies and expectancies of arousal and power moderate the relations between a family history of alcoholism, a family history of anxiety disorders, and the experience of alcohol-related problems (Morean, Corbin, & O’Malley, under review).  Although expectancies represent an important risk factor for alcohol abuse and moderate the relation between alcohol use and other risk behaviors, they represent only one of many risk factors.