FATHERS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND ADOLESCENT ALCOHOL USE

Abstract

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 9,148), we examined the relationship between dimensions of parent-child involvement (shared communication, shared activity participation, and emotional closeness) and three adolescent alcohol outcomes (alcohol use, alcohol related problems, and risky behavior co-occurring with alcohol use). This paper addresses previous limitations in fathering research by investigating both paternal and maternal involvement in understanding adolescent alcohol outcomes. When analyzed simultaneously, both shared communication with fathers and emotional closeness to fathers, but not shared activity participation, had a unique impact on each alcohol outcome, above and beyond maternal involvement factors. Implications for theory and research on parental involvement are discussed.