The association between the parental role and alcohol use. Do between-role stressors matter?
Aim: The goal of this study is to assess whether between-role stressors moderate the association between parenthood and alcohol consumption among a Canadian population of adults workers. Method: Using the GENACIS Canada study (GENder Alcohol and Culture: an International Study), the analytical sample includes 6,689 current drinkers (3,403 women and 3,295 men) aged between 18 and 55 and whose daily occupation was “working for pay” at the time they were surveyed. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to test a moderation hypothesis. Results: The main findings can be summarized as follows: i) parenthood is negatively associated to alcohol use; ii) between-role stressors are not associated to men’s alcohol use and marginally associated to women’s alcohol use; iii) between-role stressors do not moderate the association between the parental role and alcohol use. Conclusion : Future research may investigate the specific processes through which parenthood in itself structures alcohol use. It would also be worthwhile to verify whether the effect of parenthood on alcohol use is intensified within specific drinking contexts where heavy drinking is most likely to occur.