Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Telephone: Fax: The research examined 1 personal network characteristics and the drinking habits of its members, 2 the link between network alcohol use and personal alcohol involvement, 3 perceived social norms as they related to network alcohol use, and 4 relationship between perceived social norms and personal alcohol involvement.
Level of educational attainment of members was diverse. There were some associations between network drinking and personal alcohol involvement. Perceived drinking norms also were positively associated with personal alcohol use, alcohol-related problems, and approval of drinking behaviors. Findings from this study have implications for understanding social factors in the drinking behavior of nonstudent emerging adults and could inform the development of effective prevention and treatment interventions for this important, but understudied group of drinkers.
During this period, individuals face many transitions and challenges. Rates of problem behavior frequently peak during emerging adulthood e. One area of significant public health concern is the prevalence of alcohol use among this age group.
Furthermore, emerging adults have the highest month prevalence rates of DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence Grant et al. According to the U. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, This represents an estimated These statistics indicate that while many emerging adults will go on to pursue higher education, many do not. Educational attainment has been linked to a number of negative economic e.
Nonstudents are less likely to transition out of heavy drinking patterns then their college-attending counterparts White et al. However, much of our knowledge of emerging adult drinking has been based on research with the college student samples Arnett, Grant Foundation, , have not received the same attention and there is a need to broaden the scope of research efforts to include other emerging adults.
