Parental Beliefs Are Associated with Youth Response to Alcohol Intervention

Youth with chronic medical conditions (YCMC) are at increased risk of experiencing alcohol-related health consequences compared to healthy peers. Targeting influential parent beliefs and behaviors may help address YCMC alcohol use. This study evaluated YCMC and parent surveys (n = 251) collected during a randomized controlled trial at an urban academic pediatric hospital evaluating “Take Good Care,” a psychoeducational intervention targeting YCMC alcohol use. Baseline and follow-up YCMC surveys assessed alcohol use, tolerance of alcohol-related risks, and knowledge of alcohol’s health effects. Baseline parent surveys evaluated parent beliefs related to YCMC alcohol use and parenting behaviors. Linear and logistic regression models assessed relationships between parent factors and follow-up YCMC outcomes after adjustment for youth age, baseline measures, parent education, and intervention receipt. Among YCMC, a pattern of persistently high vs persistently low or decreasing tolerance of alcohol-related risks at follow up was associated with parent beliefs that youth use is “inevitable,” “OK with supervision,” or “harmless.” Parent alcohol-related beliefs are associated with YCMC response to an intervention to address alcohol use. A parent-focused intervention alongside TGC may provide opportunities to address parent beliefs and reinforce effects on youth risk perception and alcohol use.