Social identity and drinking: Dissecting social networks and implications for novel interventions

Neighbors, Clayton; Krieger, Heather; Rodriguez, Lindsey M.; Rinker, Dipali Venkataraman; Lembo, Jordanna

doi:10.1080/10852352.2019.1603676

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…After achieving high status, which has resulted in frequent invitations to parties, students then may pose an even higher risk of excessive alcohol and drug use. In line with previous studies, results show that individuals with larger social networks, which has shown to be an indicator for social status among young, also drink more [ 35 , 61 ]. However, status can also act as a protective factor.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

How to prevent alcohol and illicit drug use among students in affluent areas: a qualitative study on motivation and attitudes towards prevention

Kvillemo

Hiltunen

Demetry

et al. 2021

Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy

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Background The use of alcohol and illicit drugs during adolescence can lead to serious short- and long-term health related consequences. Despite a global trend of decreased substance use, in particular alcohol, among adolescents, evidence suggests excessive use of substances by young people in socioeconomically affluent areas. To prevent substance use-related harm, we need in-depth knowledge about the reasons for substance use in this group and how they perceive various prevention interventions. The aim of the current study was to explore motives for using or abstaining from using substances among students in affluent areas as well as their attitudes to, and suggestions for, substance use prevention. Methods Twenty high school students (age 15–19 years) in a Swedish affluent municipality were recruited through purposive sampling to take part in semi-structured interviews. Qualitative content analysis of transcribed interviews was performed. Results The most prominent motive for substance use appears to be a desire to feel a part of the social milieu and to have high social status within the peer group. Motives for abstaining included academic ambitions, activities requiring sobriety and parental influence. Students reported universal information-based prevention to be irrelevant and hesitation to use selective prevention interventions due to fear of being reported to authorities. Suggested universal prevention concerned reliable information from credible sources, stricter substance control measures for those providing substances, parental involvement, and social leisure activities without substance use. Suggested selective prevention included guaranteed confidentiality and non-judging encounters when seeking help. Conclusions Future research on substance use prevention targeting students in affluent areas should take into account the social milieu and with advantage pay attention to students’ suggestions on credible prevention information, stricter control measures for substance providers, parental involvement, substance-free leisure, and confidential ways to seek help with a non-judging approach from adults.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

How to prevent alcohol and illicit drug use among students in affluent areas: a qualitative study on motivation and attitudes towards prevention

Kvillemo

Hiltunen

Demetry

et al. 2021

Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy

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“…In line with earlier studies, the influence of peers and the system of norms that young people themselves create in this specific context constitute important parts in explaining the high level of alcohol consumption (32,47,48). The findings show that there are clear local drinking norms in Villaholm.…”

Section: Identity Construction In Relation To Bourdieu's Social Cultu...supporting

confidence: 80%

“…In line with Bourdieu's framework the analysis shows that by establishing relationships-via alcohol-one's social capital increases, which in turn can be exchanged for larger networks, social belonging and popularity. Previous studies show that this, in turn, increases the odds of being invited to more parties and drinking more alcohol (16,47). Alcohol consumption thus promotes young people's identity construction and social capital.…”

Section: Identity Construction In Relation To Bourdieu's Social Cultu...mentioning

confidence: 94%

Risky Drinking Cultures Among Affluent Youth in Sweden

Hiltunen

Kvillemo

Demetry

et al. 2022

Front. Public Health

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There is a growing scientific interest in drinking behavior among young people in affluent areas, who report higher levels of alcohol consumption compared to youth in less privileged areas. This phenomenon has been observed in several Western countries. The research has been dominated by variable-oriented analyses and has presented interesting explanations, but there has been little research into these young people's own experiences of and attitudes toward alcohol consumption. To develop interventions targeting this group, we need to understand their lifeworld. This study aims to develop an in-depth understanding of the high alcohol consumption among young people in affluent areas and how they themselves experience it. In the spring of 2019, we conducted 20 in-depth interviews with adolescents in upper secondary school (aged 15–19) in one of the most affluent area in Sweden. The empirical material was analyzed thematically. Theoretically, the phenomenon is understood by relating to social identity processes and considering the group's material, social and cultural means through Bourdieu's metaphors of capital. We found that affluent youth link their social identities to alcohol consumption. Alcohol is a social beverage that opens social networks and contributes to a sense of community. The consumption of alcohol gives experience capital leading to status in this context, with clear norms and expectations governing alcohol consumption. Parties are arranged in protected spaces where young people are free to drink out of the adults' sight. Affluent youths also have considerable purchasing power which contributes to drinking, and they are socialized into a pre-existing adult alcohol culture characterized by a liberal view on alcohol. Finally, when alcohol consumption escalates, the youths perceive that it is difficult to get adequate help from the adult world. The findings are important for future preventive interventions for subgroups of adolescents at high risk for heavy drinking.

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“…One’s “drinking buddies,” defined as individuals from their network designated as companions for the primary purpose of drinking, are related to increased drinking. A greater presence of network drinking buddies is associated with increased individual drinking (Lau-Barraco et al, 2012; Lau-Barraco & Linden, 2014; Leonard et al, 2000; Leonard & Homish, 2008; Neighbors et al, 2019). The influence of drinking buddies remains, even after considering the impact of general or heavy drinking by peers, which lends support to the unique influence of drinking buddies in the peer use relationship (Leonard & Homish, 2008; Reifman et al, 2006).…”

Section: Social Network and Alcohol Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Social network moderators of brief alcohol intervention impact.

Lau‐Barraco¹,

Braitman²,

Junkin³

et al. 2022

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors

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Objective: This investigation examined the impact of social networks on drinking reduction efforts following a brief alcohol intervention. In a reanalysis of data from an earlier randomized controlled trial with nonstudent emerging adult drinkers (Lau-Barraco et al., 2018), we aimed to test three domains of preintervention social network features as potential factors influencing intervention response: (a) general network characteristics (i.e., network size, network stability), (b) general network alcohol use (i.e., network alcohol abstainers, network heavy/problem drinkers), and (c) risky peers in network (i.e., proportion of drinking buddies, presence of drinking buddies identified as heavy/problem drinker). Method: Participants were 164 emerging adult heavy drinkers recruited from the community (65.9% men; mean age = 21.98 years; 56.2% ethnic minority). Participants were randomly assigned to either a brief personalized feedback intervention (PFI) or assessment-only control and provided data at 1-month and 3-month followups. Results: Greater network stability and greater representation of alcohol abstainers in one's social network were associated with improved initial postintervention response. Heavy/problem drinkers in the network did not moderate initial postintervention effects on drinking outcomes, but there was potentially a stronger intervention effect on risk reduction for those with higher proportions of drinking buddies in their network. Conclusions: Study findings provided evidence that a PFI was efficacious in mitigating some risky social network influence. However, findings did not support a consistent impact across all the network variables examined. Future research is needed to further clarify social network influences and how they may be targeted to enhance intervention efficacy. Public Health Significance StatementOur findings suggest that a brief alcohol intervention diminished some influence from risky social networks on alcohol consumption among emerging adult heavy drinkers from the community. This study contributed new knowledge regarding the impact of social network ties on behavior change in a vulnerable and understudied group of drinkers that will help guide the development of future interventions.

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Social identity and drinking: Dissecting social networks and implications for novel interventions

Cited by 10 publications

References 45 publications

How to prevent alcohol and illicit drug use among students in affluent areas: a qualitative study on motivation and attitudes towards prevention

How to prevent alcohol and illicit drug use among students in affluent areas: a qualitative study on motivation and attitudes towards prevention

Risky Drinking Cultures Among Affluent Youth in Sweden

Social network moderators of brief alcohol intervention impact.

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