Effects of a combined parent-student alcohol prevention program on intermediate factors and adolescentsa' drinking behavior: A sequential mediation model

Ina M. Koning, Marija Maric, David Mackinnon, Wilma A M Vollebergh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: Previous work revealed that the combined parent-student alcohol prevention program (PAS) effectively postponed alcohol initiation through its hypothesized intermediate factors: increase in strict parental rule setting and adolescentsa' self-control (Koning, van den Eijnden, Verdurmen, Engels, & Vollebergh, 2011). This study examines whether the parental strictness precedes an increase in adolescentsa' self-control by testing a sequential mediation model. Methods: A cluster randomized trial including 3,245 Dutch early adolescents (M age = 12.68, SD = 0.50) and their parents randomized over 4 conditions: (1) parent intervention, (2) student intervention, (3) combined intervention, and (4) control group. Outcome measure was amount of weekly drinking measured at age 12 to 15; baseline assessment (T0) and 3 follow-up assessments (T1-T3). Results: Main effects of the combined and parent intervention on weekly drinking at T3 were found. The effect of the combined intervention on weekly drinking (T3) was mediated via an increase in strict rule setting (T1) and adolescentsa' subsequent self-control (T2). In addition, the indirect effect of the combined intervention via rule setting (T1) was significant. No reciprocal sequential mediation (self-control at T1 prior to rules at T2) was found. Conclusions: The current study is 1 of the few studies reporting sequential mediation effects of youth intervention outcomes. It underscores the need of involving parents in youth alcohol prevention programs, and the need to target both parents and adolescents, so that change in parentsa' behavior enables change in their offspring.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)719-727
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of consulting and clinical psychology
Volume83
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2015

Keywords

  • alcohol prevention
  • rules about alcohol
  • self-control
  • sequential mediation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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