Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-2019
Abstract
Sensation seeking has been identified as a significant risk factor for adolescent alcohol use. Little is known, however, about the process by which sensation seeking impacts heavy alcohol use. The current study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships among sensation seeking, age of drinking initiation, and heavy alcohol use in a sample of high school seniors (N = 221). Results supporting age of drinking initiation as a mediator of the relationship between sensation seeking and heavy alcohol use. Implications include providing personality-targeted prevention to adolescents who display sensation seeking traits to delay drinking initiation among these students.
Copyright Statement
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an Article published in Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 2019, available online at doi: 10.1080/1067828X.2018.1561579
Publication Information
Doumas, Diana M.; Turrisi, Rob; Miller, Raissa; Esp, Susan; and Flay, Brian. (2019). "Age of Drinking Initiation as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Sensation Seeking and Heavy Drinking Among High School Seniors". Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 28(1), 32-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/1067828X.2018.1561579