Transcript Slide 1

The Influence of Social Goals and Perceived Peer Attitudes on Intentions to Use Tobacco
and Alcohol in an Adolescent Sample
Elisa M. Trucco, B.A. and Craig R. Colder, Ph.D.
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Research suggests that the peak of cigarette and alcohol initiation is in the middle school years
(Johnston et al., 2005). Accordingly, understanding possible risk factors involved in early stages
of acquisition in young adolescence can clarify the etiology of substance use and inform
development of substance use prevention programs. Peer influence models have facilitated our
understanding of substance use initiation in adolescence, but peers may not exert the same
effects across all children. This study investigated whether social goals increase susceptibility to
peer influence. Specifically, we examined the association between peer substance use attitudes
and intentions to use alcohol and cigarettes, and how social goals might moderate this
association. Hypotheses: It was expected that individuals highly motivated to belong to a social
group (communal goals) or gain respect from peers (agentic goals) will be more likely to conform
to the social group’s attitudes towards substance use. It was expected that perceived peer
attitudes that support substance use would predict strong intentions to use alcohol and
cigarettes for adolescents characterized by strong communal or strong agentic interpersonal
goals. Prior research has shown gender differences in social goals, and accordingly, gender was
included as a covariate. Though gender interactions were also tested to explore potential gender
specific pathways, no hypotheses were made about these interactions.
Table 1. Descriptive Statistics for all Study Variables
Mean
SD
Correlations
1
3
1. Cigarette
Intentions
2. Alcohol
Intentions
3. Agentic
1.18a
0.47a
1.60a
0.93a
-1.53
1.31
0.15*
0.11*
1.00
4. Communal
2.67
1.61
-0.09
-0.03
-0.09
4
5
6
1.00
0.44**
5. Peer Attitudes
(Cigarettes)
6. Peer Attitudes
(Alcohol)
Low
1.00
High
0.00
0.00
0.68
0.32**
0.74
0.32**
0.28**
0.43**
Figure 2. Peer Attitudes on Intentions to Use Alcohol by Communal Goals
1.00
0.21** -0.08
1.00
0.18** -0.09 0.75**
1.00
Notes: * p <.05, ** p <.001, abased on untransformed variables
Table 2. Regression Models for
Intentions to Use Cigarettes
Parameter
High Agency
Low Agency
Perceived Peer Cigarette Attitudes
Coefficienta
SE
Table 3. Regression Models for
Intentions to Use Alcohol
Coefficienta
Parameter
Intercept
0.368**
t
value
.056 6.06
Intercept
0.123**
Gender
-0.046*
.020 -2.33
Gender
-0.090
.052 -1.74
Agentic
0.014
.007
Agentic
0.008
.019
0.40
Communal
-0.002
.006 -0.30
Communal
0.013
.016
0.85
Peer Attitudes
(Cigarettes)
Agentic x
Peer Attitudes
Communal x
Peer Attitudes
Gender x Peer
Attitudes
R-square
0.111*
.037
2.97
0.207*
.105
1.97
0.031*
.014
2.14
-0.001
.037 -0.03
-0.041
.010 -1.37
0.062†
.034
0.029
.031
Peer Attitudes
(Alcohol)
Agentic x
Peer Attitudes
Communal x
Peer Attitudes
Gender x Peer
Attitudes
-0.109
.100 -1.10
1.84
0.10
.344
R-square
1.81
0.13
Notes: *p <.05, **p <.001, †marginal significance, aUnstandardized
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and CONTACT INFORMATION
This research was supported by a grant from the NIDA (R01 DA019631) awarded to
Craig Colder. The content of this poster is solely the responsibility of the authors and
does not necessarily represent the official views of NIDA.
Correspondence should be addressed to: Elisa M. Trucco, B.A.
Psychology Department, SUNY at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260
Email: [email protected]
+1
0. 7
0. 6
0. 5
High Communal
Low Communal
0
0. 4
0. 3
0. 2
-1
0. 1
Low
High
Perceived Peer Alcohol Attitudes
SE
t
value
.022 5.69
METHODS
Sample: The sample was taken from a 3-year longitudinal study investigating problem behavior
and substance use in adolescence. 11 and 12 year-olds (n = 328) were recruited in Erie County,
New York using random-digit-dialing and not eligible if they had any disabilities precluding them
from understanding or completing the interviews. The majority were female (58.4%), Caucasian
(81.7%), and from 2-parent families (75.9%). Procedures: Data collection for families took
approximately 2½ hours and families were compensated $75. Only adolescent measures at
baseline were used. Measures: Social goals were assessed using the revised Interpersonal Goals
Inventory for Children (IGI-CR; Trucco et al., 2008). Perceived peer attitudes towards use were
assessed using items adapted from Monitoring the Future (MTF) that reflect both perceived peer
substance use and peer approval (Johnston et al., 2005). Intentions to use alcohol or cigarettes
within 5 years was assessed using items adapted from MTF Future (Johnston et al., 2003). Data
Plan: Some adolescents reported having used alcohol (4.58%) or cigarettes (2.13%) so these
observations were removed from analyses to permit examination of intentions to initiate use. An
overall score for agency (i.e., dominance and leadership goals) and communal (i.e., goals to fit in
and gain solidarity) scores were calculated. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was used to
test the study hypotheses, and intentions to use cigarettes and alcohol were analyzed separately.
Of interest were 3 2-way interaction terms (agentic goals x peer attitudes, communal goals x peer
attitudes, and gender x peer attitudes). Interaction terms with continuous moderators (e.g., social
goals) were probed with values of 1 SD above and below the sample mean. Intentions to use
alcohol and cigarettes were not normally distributed and so these variables were transformed.
2
0.3
+1
0.25
0.2
0.15
0
0.1
0.05
-10
Intentions to Use Alcohol
BACKGROUND
to Use
Intentions to
Intentions
Use
Cigarettes
Cigarettes
Though peer socialization theories are prominent in the adolescent substance use literature,
there is likely variability in vulnerability to peer influence, and few studies have examined this.
This study examined the association between peer substance use attitudes and intentions to
use, and how social goals moderate this relationship. Results support the moderating role of
social goals, and suggest important differences with respect to alcohol and cigarette use. The
relationship between peer attitudes supportive of alcohol use were associated with future
intentions
to drink for those characterized by strong communal goals. Peer attitudes supportive
INTRODUCTION
of cigarette use were associated with future intentions to smoke for those characterized by
strong agentic goals. The findings suggest that social goals may be important individual
differences to incorporate into theories of adolescent substance use and prevention programs.
Figure 1. Peer Attitudes on Intentions to Use Cigarettes by Agentic Goals
RESULTS
Intentions to Use Alcohol
ABSTRACT
CONCLUSION
This study offers support for individual differences in susceptibility to
peer influence. Perceived peer cigarette attitudes were more strongly
associated with intentions to smoke for adolescents characterized by
high levels of agency than those characterized by low levels. We also
found some support for communal goals moderating the relationship
between perceived peer attitudes towards alcohol and intentions to
drink, such that adolescents characterized by strong communal goals
may be more susceptible to peer influence than those characterized
by low levels. The findings suggest that social goals impact
vulnerability to peer influences and operate differently for cigarette
and alcohol use. High levels of agency are associated with a strong
motivation for dominance and respect in social relationships, and
adolescents associate smoking with an image of rebelliousness,
maturity, leadership, and coolness (Dinh, Sarason, Peterson, &
Onstad, 1995; Gerrard et al., 2002). Accordingly, agentic adolescents
may view smoking as an effective means of projecting an image of
being dominant, in control, and appearing cool, and thus, eliciting
respect from a pro-smoking peer group. In contrast, adolescents who
are characterized by strong communal goals are motivated to feel
connected with their peer group and gain a sense of solidarity, and
adolescents associate drinking alcohol with an image of someone
who is social and fits in (Andrews & Peterson, 2006; Norman,
Armitage, & Quigley, 2007). Accordingly, communal adolescents may
view drinking as a viable means of developing a connection with
others, and thus, increasing solidarity and belongingness from a prodrinking peer group. These findings suggest that peer models should
incorporate individual differences that impact vulnerability to peer
influence. Importantly, aspects of these models may need to be
tailored to specific drugs.