Title

Factors Predicting Alcohol Consumption in Adolescents Attending a Faith-Based School System in Australia: A Multigroup Structural Equation Analysis

Authors

Bevan Craig, Avondale College of Higher EducationFollow
Darren Morton, Avondale College of Higher EducationFollow
Peter Morey, Avondale College of Higher EducationFollow
Lillian Kent, Avondale College of Higher EducationFollow
Peter Beamish, Avondale College of Higher EducationFollow
Barry Gane, Avondale College of Higher EducationFollow
Terry Butler, Avondale College of Higher EducationFollow
Paul Rankin, Avondale College of Higher EducationFollow
Kevin Price, South Pacific DivisionFollow

Author Faculty (Discipline)

Education

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-21-2019

Journal

Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse

Volume Number

28

Issue Number

3

Page Numbers

160-169

ISSN

1547-0652

ANZSRC / FoR Code

111716 Preventive Medicine| 119999 Medical and Health Sciences not elsewhere classified

Avondale Research Centre

Lifestyle and Health Research Centre

Reportable Items

C1

Abstract

Structural equation modeling was used to explore the direct and indirect association of childhood experiences, attitudes, subjective norms, and intentions on the alcohol consumption of adolescents attending faith-based Seventh-day Adventist schools in Australia. Data were collected on 1,266 adolescents and the structural model developed explained 48% of the variance for alcohol consumption. Intentions had the highest degree of association with Alcohol Consumption Status (ACS) (b.0.52). Attitudes were more strongly associated to ACS (btotal . 0.36) than subjective norms (btotal . 0.17). Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) were associated with every variable in the model and had a combined direct and indirect association with ACS of btotal . 0.14.

Multigroup analysis found significant pathway differences in the model for gender and age with regards to the association of intentions, attitudes, ACEs, and Childhood Family Dynamics with alcohol consumption status. The study fills a gap in the alcohol literature by presenting a model describing the complex network of factors that predict alcohol consumption in a low-ACS population. The outcomes of the study highlight the importance of early intervention for children and their families to delay or minimize alcohol consumption in adolescents.

Field of Education

06 Health

Peer Review

Before publication

Staff Classification

Permanent

Comments

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Recommended Citation

Craig, B. A., Morton, D. P., Morey, P. J., Kent, L. M., Beamish, P., Gane, B., … Price, K. R. (2019). Factors predicting alcohol consumption in adolescents attending a faith-based school system in Australia: A multigroup structural equation analysis. Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 28(3), 160-169. doi: 10.1080/1067828X.2019.1652717