OBJECTIVE: To investigate which points of the middle-school drinking distribution are the most influential in the social contagion of drinking across the middle-school years, in order to identify potential social multipliers. METHODS: We measured drinking intentions and behaviors by gender, school, and grade among urban middle-school students who participated in Project Northland Chicago in a longitudinal cohort design. RESULTS: Individual drinking behaviors were consistently influenced by extreme (80(th) percentile) drinking intentions and behaviors. This effect was mediated through normal or average levels of drinking, over time. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions can target extreme drinkers as the influential persons in middle-school grades.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate which points of the middle-school drinking distribution are the most influential in the social contagion of drinking across the middle-school years, in order to identify potential social multipliers. METHODS: We measured drinking intentions and behaviors by gender, school, and grade among urban middle-school students who participated in Project Northland Chicago in a longitudinal cohort design. RESULTS: Individual drinking behaviors were consistently influenced by extreme (80(th) percentile) drinking intentions and behaviors. This effect was mediated through normal or average levels of drinking, over time. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions can target extreme drinkers as the influential persons in middle-school grades.
Authors: Kelli A Komro; Cheryl L Perry; Sara Veblen-Mortenson; Linda M Bosma; Bonnie S Dudovitz; Carolyn L Williams; Rhonda Jones-Webb; Traci L Toomey Journal: J Pediatr Psychol Date: 2004-09
Authors: Kelli A Komro; Cheryl L Perry; Sara Veblen-Mortenson; Kian Farbakhsh; Traci L Toomey; Melissa H Stigler; Rhonda Jones-Webb; Kari C Kugler; Keryn E Pasch; Carolyn L Williams Journal: Addiction Date: 2008-02-04 Impact factor: 6.526