Social relationships in adolescence and heavy episodic drinking from youth to midlife in Finland and Sweden — examining the role of individual, contextual and temporal factors

Abstract

BackgroundApplying the Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model of the bioecological theory, this study considers whether proximal processes between the individual and the microsystem (social relationships within family, peer group and school) during adolescence are associated with heavy episodic drinking (HED), from youth to midlife, and whether the macro level context (country) plays a role in these associations.MethodsParticipants of two prospective cohort studies from Finland and Sweden, recruited in 1983/1981 at age 16 (n = 2194/1080), were followed-up until their forties using postal questionnaires. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between social relationships at age 16 and HED (at least monthly intoxication or having six or more units of alcohol in one occasion) at ages 22/21, 32/30 and 42/43. Additive interactions between microsystem settings, as well as between settings and country, were also considered.ResultsConsistent with the PPCT model, we found individual, contextual and temporal aspects to be associated with drinking habits. Higher levels of poor family relationships were associated with an increased likelihood of HED (ages 22/21 and 32/30) in both Finnish women and men and Swedish men. Higher levels of peer contact were associated with an increased likelihood of HED in both Finnish women (ages 32 and 42) and men (ages 22 and 32), and Swedish men (age 21). In contrast with the other groups, poorer relationships with classmates were associated with an increased likelihood of HED (age 30) for Swedish women only. For women, the combined effect of having both daily peer contact and living in Finland for HED at age 42/43 was statistically distinguishable from a pure additive effect.ConclusionsMicro and to a lesser extent macro level contexts are associated with heavy episodic drinking well into adulthood. The most relevant processes in the adolescent microsystem occur in family and peer settings. However, long-lasting protective or risk-raising effects between different settings and later HED were not found. Promoting good relationships across different contexts during adolescence may reduce the incidence of HED in adulthood.

What social determinants outside paid work are related to development of mental health during life? An integrative review of results from the Northern Swedish Cohort

“…In general, women reported more symptoms of internalized disorders such as anxiety, depression and somatic symptoms [34,59,60] while alcohol misuse was higher among men [42,61]. Measuring the symptoms of ill mental health at the age of 16, 21, 30 and 43 indicated that depressive, anxiety and somatic symptoms co-exist from the adolescence till midlife among the participants and the level of symptoms at each point was strongly associated with previous and future level of the symptoms [60].…”

“…Poor relationship with peers at the age of 16 was associated with several indicators of ill mental health such as depressive symptoms, IMHS and FSS at the age of 43 [41,43]. Among women, poor relationship with classmates at 16 were associated with increased likelihood of heavy episodic drinking at age 30 [42].…”

“…Individuals who had poor relationship with their parents at the age of 16 were more likely to have IMHS at the age of 30 and FSS both at 30 and 43 years of age [41]. Among men, poor relationship with family in adolescence was associated with episodes of heavy alcoholic drinking in early adulthood (at 21 and 30) [42]. Similar to relationship with family, negative effects of poor relationship with peers and classmates in early life on later mental health and alcohol misuse was observed among the participants.…”

“…Poor relationship with family at the age of 16 was associated with an increased likelihood of HED in men (age 21/30) [42].…”

A phenomenological study of perseverance and resilience through the migration journey

“…Human development is impacted by an individual's interactions within all five systems (Bronfenbrenner, 1977): (a) the microsystem includes interactions with the immediate surroundings; (b) the mesosystem comprises connections and processes that take place between microsystems; (c) the exosystem involves systems of interaction where the person in development does not directly function; (d) the macrosystem is formed by overarching cultural patterns and subcultures that influence broader systems; and (e) the chronosystem incorporates how the individual is impacted over time. In Bronfenbrenner's PPCT model (1995, 2005, the process refers to dynamic interaction between the individual and their environment, the second concept of person refers to an individual's characteristics, the third concept of context describes the environmental systems around the person, and the fourth concept of time indicates temporal aspects (Berg et al, 2018). The PCCT framework can be especially useful in understanding the experiences of immigrants and refugees who are moving through multiple cultures and systems to get to their preferred destination.…”