The long-term goals of this research are to: 1) examine the stages of initiation and patterns of consumption of high potency alcoholic beverages (HPABs), including malt liquor and fortified wine, among three ethnically and economically diverse samples of adolescents; and 2) test innovative prevention messages aimed at reducing health and social problems related to HPAB use.
The specific aims proposed to achieve these long-term goals include the following: 1) Map the stages of initiation of specific HPABS, patterns of HPAB consumption, and trends in mixing HPABs with other alcoholic beverages and illicit drugs among three diverse groups of adolescents over three years; 2) explore the relationship between the stages of initiation and patterns of HPAB and non-HPAB consumption, and alcohol-related health and social problems; 3) assess the contextual and psychosocial factors associated with the stages of initiation and patterns of use of various HPABs and non- HPABs; and 4) develop and pilot test the feasibility and immediate impact of innovative prevention messages aimed at retarding the initiation of HPAB consumption among high-risk youth. The exploratory research phase of the study, which will result in the generation of directional hypotheses about new approaches to explaining and preventing HPAB consumption, will be accomplished by employing a 3-year longitudinal cohort design. Participants sampled from three ethnically and socioeconomically diverse school settings representing high- risk youth in inner city, rural and beaches-community areas of northeast Florida will serve as subjects. The cohort will be tracked each year from the 7th grade through the 9th grade. The formative research phase of the study, which will permit the development and pilot testing of innovative HPAB prevention messages, will be accomplished by employing three research methods. These methods include conducting a series of focus groups, convening expert panels, and eventually pilot testing prevention messages aimed at retarding the initiation and patterns of use of HPABS.
