There is mixed evidence regarding the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol use in adolescence, with some studies showing elevated risk and other studies indicating that social anxiety may protect against alcohol use. The proposed project intends to test whether there is a curvilinear relationship between social anxiety and alcohol use in early adolescence. In this model, moderate levels of social anxiety are hypothesized to be positively correlated, and high levels negatively correlated with alcohol use. Motivation to affiliate with peers and """"""""social behavior change"""""""" alcohol expectancies are hypothesized to moderate the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol use in early adolescence. Data from seventh and eighth grade students will be collected to examine these hypotheses during a period when social anxiety peaks for youth. Quadratic regression analyses will be used to examine the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol use. Hierarchical regression analyses run separately for males and females will be used to determine moderator impact. This research has potential to provide critical information for understanding how social anxiety is involved in the development of alcohol involvement in adolescence, and can help to interpret inconsistencies in the extant literature.
| Tomlinson, Kristin L; Cummins, Kevin M; Brown, Sandra A (2013) Social Anxiety and Onset of Drinking in Early Adolescence. J Child Adolesc Subst Abuse 22:163-177 |
