The Non-drinking Adolescents – What Characterizes them based on Psychological Health, Social relations, and Attitudes towards Alcohol?

Abstract

This study investigated if non-drinking adolescents distinguished from drinking adolescents in psychological health, social relations, and attitudes towards alcohol. Also, if these attributes in 9th grade could predict nondrinking two years later. Longitudinal data over four data collections on (N = 601) Swedish adolescents were collected through surveys from the longitudinal research program on adolescent development, LoRDIA. Comparative statistics showed non-drinkers (n = 195) had more internalizing problems, less externalizing problems, less positive attitudes towards alcohol, fewer friends and spent less time with their friends, than drinkers (n = 406). Regressions showed internalizing problems increased the probability and externalizing problems, positive attitudes towards alcohol, more days spent with friends per week reduced the probability of non-drinking two years later. Results concludes that alcohol’s social position for Swedish adolescents has not changed, given that characteristics to non-drinkers remained stable over time.