| Popis: |
Adolescent alcohol use is a major public health problem in the United States. Few studies have examined the relationship between specific components of mental health (i.e. self-concept) and alcohol use, particularly across the varying developmental years. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the impact of self-concept on recent alcohol use (past 30 days) and recent binge drinking (five or more alcoholic beverages on one occasion) across three developmental ages. This study employed secondary data analysis using the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). All participants were in grades 7-12 (N = 6,504) and completed the computer assisted in-home interview. A total of 17.3% of youth reported recent alcohol use and 11.3% reported recent binge drinking. Overall, recent alcohol use and recent binge drinking increased with increased grade levels. Youth who were male and white were also more likely than their counterparts for recent alcohol use and recent binge drinking. Youth with low self-concept were at increased odds for recent alcohol use. This held true regardless of sex, race and grade. Youth with low self-concept were at increased odds for recent binge drinking among male and female students, white students, and students in grades 7-8 and grades 11-12. Students in grades 7-8 with low self-concept had the highest odds ratios for recent alcohol use and recent binge drinking in comparison to students in grades 9-10 or 11-12 with low self-concept. Results of this study underscore the importance for health educators and preventionists to consider the impact of self-concept on youth substance use at differing grade levels when developing substance abuse prevention efforts.Youth suicide is in the top leading causes of death among adolescents and remains an important public health issue for health professionals today. Few have examined a more intrapersonal form of mental health, an individual’s overall self-concept. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the impact of self-concept on suicidal ideation and suicide attempts across three grade levels. A secondary data analysis was conducted using the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). All participants were in grades 7-12 (N = 6,504) and completed a computer assisted in-home interview. A total of 12.8% of youth reported suicidal ideation and 3.5% reported attempting suicide in the past 12 months. Overall, suicidal ideation increased with age whereas suicide attempts were consistent among the three groups. Female youth were significantly more likely than male youth to experience both suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Youth with a low self-concept were at increased odds for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts regardless of sex, race, or grade. Interestingly, the impact of self-concept on suicidal ideation noticeably increased with increased grade level. Odds ratios for suicidal ideation show those with low self-concept were 2.8 (7th/8th grade), 3.5 (9th/10th grade), and 4.4 (11th/12th grade). The impact of self-concept on suicide attempts did not increase but rather remained consistently high among the three age groups. Future research is needed to explain reasons for the pronounced impact of self-concept on suicidal ideation with progressing age. Results from this study support the need for incorporating self-concept into suicide prevention efforts for youth |
