Initiation and continuation of best friends and adolescents’ alcohol consumption: Do self-esteem and self-control function as moderators?

In this three-wave longitudinal survey, we investigated bi-directional longitudinal associations between best friends and adolescents’ alcohol consumption. Additionally, since the relation between best friends and adolescents’ drinking may be stronger if adolescents have not consumed alcohol yet, we examined this relation not only with regard to continuation but also with regard to the initiation of adolescent drinking. We also hypothesized that low levels of self-esteem and self-control in youths would be related to a higher susceptibility to the impact of their best friends’ drinking. Data were used from 433 adolescents and their best friends. Results of SEM analyses did not provide evidence for bi-directional associations between best friends and adolescents’ alcohol use over time. Nevertheless, the results of additional growth curve analyses indicated that adolescents and best friends’ drinking does seem to develop in a similar fashion over time. Adolescents’ self-esteem, self-control, and gender did not moderate longitudinal associations between best friends and adolescents’ drinking. The discussion focuses on methodological and theoretical explanations for the absence of significant longitudinal relations between best friends and adolescents’ drinking.