Parental Influences on Health Risk Behaviour of College Students.

Abstract

Background: Research shows that parental influence on adolescents‘ alcohol use remains important after entering college. This study explores whether this is true also for other health risk behaviours (HRB) of college students. Methods: As a part of international SLICE study data were collected among 243 college students (mean age 20.8, 79% females). Students completed questionnaires on Perception of Parents, family support, type of living during a school year (with parents, other) and HRB (amount of alcohol used, frequency of smoking and marihuana use). Stepwise linear regression was used in three models. Findings: Interestingly, living without parents (students dormitories, shared rented flat) was associated only with higher frequency of smoking (?=0.17; p?.05), not alcohol or marihuana use. Both low positive (?=-0.23; p?.05) and high negative (?=0.25; p?.05) perception of mother were connected to greater amount of alcohol use. All the other associations between perception of parents, family support and type of living with students’ HRB were insignificant. Discussion: Parental influences explored within the study affected students’ HRB only to a small extent.