Frequency of alcohol use by youth: is perceived parental control an important predictor?

Abstract

Background: Among family factors, parental control is frequently mentioned as an important protective factor against alcohol use by youth. This study examines the influence of perceived parental control on the frequency of alcohol consumption by Slovenian youth. Methods: A correlation study was used to analyze data gathered as part of the ESPAD international study, which was carried out on a representative sample of Slovenian secondary school students enrolled in the first year of secondary school in the 1998/99 (2,375 valid questionnaires) and 2002/03 (2,785 valid questionnaires) school years. The analysis of influence was established using linear regression analysis. Findings: The regression coefficients showed a statistically significant negative influence of the component of perceived parental control; that is, knowledge of nights out and frequency of alcohol use by Slovenian youth in both periods studied. For 1999, the regression model explains 11.3% of the variance, and for 2003 18.6% of the variance in the frequency of alcohol use by youth. Regarding the component of perceived parental control (in 2003), which refers to determining precise rules for youth behavior at home and outside the home, it was established that this does not significantly influence the frequency of alcohol use by youth. Discussion: The results show that the component of perceived parental control that refers to parents’ knowledge of nights out reliably negatively predicts alcohol use by youth. It is advisable to take into account the findings when designing more effective health education programs for drug prevention aimed at the family.