Alcohol Use and Socialization Characteristics Among Hungarian Adolescents: Path Models

Abstract

SUMMARY Anonymous surveys of alcohol use and associated socialization characteristics of family caring, family sanctions against alcohol use, school adjustment, and peer alcohol associations were administered to Hungarian 8th- and 11th-grade adolescents. Results indicated higher levels of alcohol involvement among older students compared to younger students, and higher levels for males compared to females. However, the frequency of alcohol use among females was equal to or higher than that of males. Path models of alcohol involvement and socialization characteristics were constructed to examine a previously tested model based on peer cluster theory. Models were tested by gender and grade level. Peer alcohol associations was a direct predictor of alcohol involvement among all four models. Family influences or family sanctions against alcohol use and family caring provided both direct and indirect effects on alcohol involvement. School adjustment failed to relate to either peer alcohol associations or alcoh...