Heavy Episodic Drinking and Alcohol-Related Consequences: Sex-Specific Differences in Parental Influences Among Ninth-Grade Students

Parents impact adolescent substance abuse, but sex-specific influences are not well-understood. This study examined parental influences on adolescent drinking behavior in a sample of ninth-grade students (N = 473). Hierarchical regression analyses indicated parental monitoring, disapproval of teen alcohol use, and quality of parent-teen general communication were significant predictors of drinking behaviors. Sex, however, moderated these relationships. Specifically, parental monitoring was protective of heavy episodic drinking and alcohol-related consequences for females, whereas parental disapproval of teen alcohol was protective of heavy episodic drinking for males. Implications for sex-specific parent-based intervention programs are discussed.