Drinking and driving (DD) and riding with drinking drivers (RWDD) are serious problems for adolescents and young adults. Prevention of these behaviors thus should be a high priority. There is only a limited understanding, however, of the factors that underlie underage DD and RWDD or how these factors mediate gender and ethnic differences in these behaviors. In addition, most research has been cross-sectional in nature. Although such research can identify important correlates of underage DD and RWDD, it cannot adequately address issues of causality. We, therefore, propose to undertake a two-wave panel random digit dial (RDD) telephone survey of 600 15-20 year old adolescents and young adults with a 24 month lag between the panels. Semistructured interviews with 75 young people who report DD and RWDD on the first wave of the survey also will be undertaken. The proposed five year study- has five specific objectives. First, this study will provide systematic data on the prevalence of DD and RWDD in a random sample of young people. By using an RDD telephone survey procedure, the study will include adolescents who are commonly excluded from other studies. Second, this study will identify correlates of underage DD and RWDD and will model involvement in these behaviors cross-sectionary using latent variable structural equations modeling. These analyses will provide initial tests of a conceptual model of DD and RWDD. Third, the proposed study will lead to a better understanding of differences in the extent of involvement in underage DD and RWDD among young men and women and among major ethnic groups (African Americans, Asian Americans, European Americans, and Latinos) and will ascertain why any differences, if they are found, occur and how these differences are mediated through more immediate beliefs and risk behaviors. Fourth, the study will identify important environmental and social differences between drinking occasions resulting in DD or RWDD and drinking occasions not resulting in DD or RWDD. This information will have significant implications for environmental approaches to prevention of these behaviors. Finally, the study will model changes in DD and RWDD over time to gain a better understanding of the social-psychological and environmental factors that underlie the development of these behaviors, their relative predictive importance, and the extent to which they directly influence DD and RWDD or are mediated through more immediate variables.
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