Jacqueline Nesi|W. Andrew Rothenberg|Andrea M. Hussong|Kristina M. Jackson
Friends' Alcohol-Related Social Networking Site Activity Predicts Escalations in Adolescent Drinking: Mediation by Peer Norms
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|Brown University|Providence College
purpose adolescents increased use social networking sites sns coincides developmental period heightened risk alcohol use initiation however little known regarding associations adolescents sns use drinking initiation mechanisms association study examined longitudinal associations among adolescents exposure friends alcoholrelated sns postings alcoholfavorable peer injunctive norms initiation drinking behaviors methods participants 658 highschool students reported posting alcoholrelated sns content self friends alcoholrelated injunctive norms developmental risk factors alcohol use two time points 1 year apart participants also reported initiation three drinking behaviors consuming full drink becoming drunk heavy episodic drinking three drinks per occasion probit regression analyses used predict initiation drinking behaviors exposure alcoholrelated sns content path analyses examined mediation association peer injunctive norms results exposure friends alcoholrelated sns content predicted adolescents initiation drinking heavy episodic drinking 1 year later controlling demographic known developmental risk factors alcohol use ie parental monitoring peer orientation addition alcoholfavorable peer injunctive norms statistically mediated relationship alcoholrelated sns exposure drinking milestone conclusions results suggest social media plays unique role contributing peer influence processes surrounding alcohol use highlight need future investigative preventive efforts account adolescents changing social environments