Two risky behaviours (driving after drinking/getting drunk, riding with drinking drivers) and two safe behaviours (deciding not to drive under the influence of alcohol (DUI), preventing someone else from DUI) were examined in relation to use frequency and friends' DUI to determine whether individuals tend to engage in both types of behaviours. Self-report questionnaires were administered to a random sample of 1233 young adults in New Jersey (USA) on two occasions (mean age 21 and mean age 28). Structural equation modelling was used to assess the goodness of fit of a hypothesised model of cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships. Relationships between the four behaviours were strongly positive for men and women at both occasions and were substantially accounted for by use frequency and friends' DUI. At the later age, however, it was necessary to add non-recursive pathways to the model, which were different for men and women. Findings suggest that (1) riding with drinking drivers plays an important role in the maintenance of the other behaviours and (2) most individuals vacillate between risky and safe behaviours indicating that drinking contexts are best viewed at as risky decision-making situations requiring individuals to choose between riskier and safer courses of actions. (Author/publisher)
Abstract