Geoff Lowe

Adolescent drinking behaviour and family socialization factors: a meta-analysis

Family socialization processes are important influences on behaviour in childhood and adolescence. Two major dimensions of family socialization are Support and Control, and these two dimensions were assessed for their influence on adolescent drinking behaviour. Thirty recently published research studies, which reported the influence of (clearly identifiable) family socialization variables on (self-reported) adolescent drinking behaviour were selected for analysis. The results of these studies were subjected to meta-analysis using a sorting technique. Variables were sorted along the dimensions of Support and Control, and along a Family Structure dimension, which measured parental intactness. Results of the meta-analysis indicated a clear negative linear relationship between Support and adolescent drinking. There was also a negative linear relationship between Control and drinking behaviour. Thus low support and lax control were associated with increased drinking. However, there was some evidence of a possible curvilinear relationship between control and adolescent drinking. A negative relationship between Family Structure and adolescent drinking was also found, i.e. adolescents from non-intact families tend to drink more. The results were incorporated into a family systems perspective. It is suggested that extremes of Support and Control, when measured adequately, may be dysfunctional for adequate socialization into normal drinking behaviour, as defined by social and cultural norms, during adolescence.

Adolescents' Alcohol use and Misuse: The socializing influence of perceived family life

Many young people in the UK start drinking alcohol in pre-and early adolescence whilst at home with their parents. And yet, despite considerable research evidence from overseas, the influence of parents and family in the socialization of adolescent drinking has hardly featured at all in UK alcohol research and education. In this paper we report results from a study in Humberside, England, where over 4000 school pupils aged 11–17 completed an anonymous and confidential questionnaire, and in which we examined the relationship between self-reported drinking behaviour and perceived family life. We found that low family support, low family control, regular parental drinking and an indifferent parental attitude toward the respondents drinking, were all significantly linked with higher levels of drinking as reported by young people. Interestingly, adolescents with non-drinking parents were heavier drinkers if they also reported indifferent parental attitude or low parental control. These results may have implic...

Health‐related effects of creative and expressive writing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of some health‐related effects of creative and expressive writing.Design/methodology/approach – Reviews some of the main research studies exploring links between expressive writing and aspects of health, including two new experimental studies showing effects of poetry on mood and immune system indices.Findings – Research studies have involved standard writing tasks and have shown a good range of physiological and behavioural benefits. Example findings include improvements in health and well‐being and enhanced levels of host defences in immune system functioning. Other notable findings include reduced severity of symptoms in arthritis and asthma sufferers. However, writing disclosure may also have negative effects on clients with post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The cognitive‐behavioural bases of “writing therapy” include the informative function of emotions, self‐regulation, re‐framing, and dealing more effectively with negative feelings....

Progressive muscle relaxation and secretory immunoglobulin A.

30 healthy students produced saliva samples for Immunoglobulin A assay before and after sessions involving either progressive muscle relaxation (n = 15) or a control condition (n = 15). Levels of immunoglobulin A increased significantly in the relaxation group but not in the control group.

GROUP DIFFERENCES IN ALCOHOL-CREATIVITY INTERACTIONS

A repeated-measures, balanced-order design was used to test for the effects of alcohol on creativity as measured by verbal forms of the Torrance Creativity Test. Social drinkers (8 men and 8 women) performed under 2 conditions, alcohol (dose = 0.83 ml ethanol/kg body weight) and a placebo. Significant group differences in the alcohol-creativity interaction were noted in that the performance of higher-scoring (in the placebo condition) subjects was impaired by alcohol whereas that of lower-scoring subjects was enhanced.

Relationship between laughter and weekly alcohol consumption.

A significant correlation of 0.36 was found between scores on the Situational Humor Response Questionnaire and units of weekly alcohol consumption self-reported by 166 social drinkers aged between 18 and 70 years.

Media Messages and Alcohol Education: A School-Based Study

The immediate effects of a media intervention on attitudes toward alcohol were investigated with 134 secondary school pupils (aged 13 to 17 years) who completed a drinking and smoking questionnaire and expressed strength of agreement or disagreement with 13 statements about alcohol, drinking and health. Pupils then read news cuttings from popular magazines. One group read a negative message about alcohol, another group a positive message. Other groups read both positive and negative messages, and a control group had no media intervention. Immediately afterwards, all pupils responded to the same 13 statements again. Those pupils who received only a negative message became significantly more negative in their attitudes towards alcohol. Those receiving only a positive message were significantly more positive afterwards. The control group and those receiving both positive and negative messages showed little change. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for alcohol education programs at school.

Effects of Alcohol on Responsive Laughter and Amusement

After consuming either an alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverage, 48 subjects viewed a humorous film. Frequency of responsive laughter and subjective amusement was significantly greater in the alcohol group.

Poetry writing and secretory immunoglobulin A

17 healthy students provided saliva samples for Immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) assay before and after sessions of either writing poetry or reading magazines (control). Levels of s-IgA increased after the poetry-writing sessions but not after reading.

Social Drinking and Laughter

Pairs of observers monitored drinking and laughter in groups of social drinkers (N = 56). A significant correlation of .27 was found between units of alcohol consumed and laughter scores.