Emotional wellbeing and violence among social and solitary risky single occasion drinkers in adolescence

Addiction. 2004 Mar;99(3):331-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2004.00653.x.

Abstract

Objectives: To classify adolescents according to risky single occasion drinking (RSOD) and their level of social integration, and to test whether these groups (social non-RSODs, social RSODs, solitary non-RSODs, solitary RSODs) differ in terms of emotional well-being and violence-related variables.

Method: K-means cluster and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed based on a cross-sectional national representative sample of 3861 8th and 9th graders in Switzerland (mean age 15.3; SD = 0.88).

Results: Although RSODs in general appear to be more violent, social RSODs tend to be more violent than solitary RSODs. Although RSODs reveal a lower life satisfaction generally and tend to have more depressive moods, solitary RSODs are even less satisfied and more depressive. In addition, the latter tend to have lower self-esteem and are more often victims of bullying.

Conclusions: RSODs are not a homogeneous group of adolescents and preventive efforts, such as competence-enhancing and social resistance programmes, should be applied in accordance with the constellation of associated problems: solitary RSODs appear to be socially inhibited, depressive and often victims of bullying, whereas social RSODs appear to be socially accepted but are prone to be violent offenders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Alcohol Drinking / adverse effects
  • Alcohol Drinking / psychology*
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health*
  • Self Concept
  • Social Behavior*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Switzerland
  • Violence / psychology