Directional relationships between alcohol use and antisocial behavior across adolescence.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The co-occurrence of alcohol use and antisocial behavior is well established, but different hypotheses exist regarding the direction of effects between the 2 behaviors. We used longitudinal data to examine the directional relationship between the 2 behaviors across adolescence.

Methods

A cross-lagged model was applied to longitudinal data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. The sample used in the present study consisted of 4,354 females and 3,984 males. Alcohol use and antisocial behavior were measured with multiple items collected at 12, 13, 15, and 17 years of age.

Results

Both alcohol use and antisocial behavior were highly stable, as evidenced by highly significant autoregressive paths. Regarding the cross-lagged paths, neither beh

SUBMITTER: Cho SB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4139289 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature