Moderating Effects of Positive Parenting on Perceived Peer Alcohol Use-Adolescent Alcohol Use Relationship: Racial/Ethnic and Sex Differences

Background and Purpose: Alcohol use among adolescents is prevalent and associated with many serious consequences.Substantial racial/ethnic disparities exist in the prevalence and consequences of alcohol use. Positive parenting factors (e.g., parental monitoring, support) are often targeted in prevention strategies because they can buffer multiple risk factors of adolescent drinking, including negative peer influences. However, a knowledge gap remains regarding whether such buffering effects vary by race/ethnicity and sex. Because prevention efforts designed explicitly for racial/ethnic minority adolescents are scarce, it is critical to examine whether positive parenting's protective effect varies based on race/ethnicity to adapt the existing prevention programs to effectively prevent alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences among racial/ethnic minority adolescents. This study addressed the knowledge gap by exploring racial/ethnic and sex differences in the potential moderating effects of perceived positive parenting (i.e., perceived maternal monitoring, paternal monitoring, and parental support) on the association between perceived peer alcohol use and adolescent alcohol use (i.e., past month drinking frequency and drunkenness).

Methods: Using data from the U.S. Heath Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study collected in 2009 and 2010, this study focused on 8,356 adolescents from Grades 7 to 10 and five racial/ethnic groups (White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial). This study used linear multiple regression analysis to explore interaction effects between perceived parenting, perceived peer alcohol use, and race/ethnicity or sex.

Results: Participants' mean age was 13.8 years old, 51.4% were male, 49.1% were White, 21.6% were Hispanic, 18.4% were Black, 3.6% were Asian, and 7.2% were multiracial. All three perceived positive parenting measures (i.e., maternal monitoring, paternal monitoring, and parental support) buffered the influence of perceived peer drinking on adolescent drinking among White girls and boys, but the moderating effects were inconsistent for racial/ethnic minority boys and girls. We did not observe sex differences in parenting's buffering effect on peer alcohol use among White adolescents. Among Black, Hispanic, and multiracial adolescents, perceived maternal monitoring and paternal monitoring had larger buffering effects on perceived peer drunkenness among boys than among girls. Among Asian adolescents, perceived parental support buffered perceived peer drinking and drunkenness among girls but exacerbated these relationships among boys.

Conclusions and Implications: Racial/ethnic and sex differences exist among the moderating effects of perceived positive parenting on peer drinking. The findings have implications for tailoring existing programs and developing new parent-based alcohol use prevention programs for racial/ethnic minority adolescents. Positive parenting factors that are protective for White adolescents do not necessarily protect racial/ethnic minority adolescents against alcohol use in the same way. Program developers should be aware of the racial/ethnic and sex differences when developing and adapting parent-based prevention programs.