Problem Alcohol Use in Ukrainian Children: Association with Family Factors, Peer Drinking and Child Externalizing Behavior Problems.

Abstract

The purpose of this three study dissertation was to assess risk and protective factors associated with child alcohol problems. Family systems theory and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model constituted the framework used for building and testing analytic models. Quantitative data were collected during face-to-face interviews with 320 parent-child dyads in 11 communities in Eastern, Southern and Central Ukraine. Children were 9-16 years of age and 50% were males. The first study assessed the association between parent sociodemographic variables, alcohol use, domestic violence and family cohesion and flexibility, and parenting behaviors. Results indicated that higher violence in the home, higher alcohol use and unbalanced family functioning were related to more frequent use of negative parenting and less frequent use of positive parenting practices. Additionally, lower parent education was associated with negative parenting. The second study estimated the relationship between parenting practices and child externalizing behaviors, such as aggression, delinquency and attention problems. Results revealed that positive parenting, child monitoring and avoidance of corporal punishments were associated with fewer child externalizing symptoms. Results also indicated that child male gender, parent unemployment and single parenting had significant and positive association with child externalizing behaviors. The third, final study assessed child alcohol problems and their association with child gender and age, externalizing behaviors, parental IPV, parenting practices, and peer and parent alcohol use. Children reported that they had alcohol related problems in multiple areas of life and mostly alcohol use affected their relationships with other people, school life and led to rule-breaking behaviors. Alcohol problems were more prevalent among males than among females. Results also revealed that children’s alcohol problems were significantly related with older child age, higher peer drinking and more symptoms of externalizing behavior. This dissertation made an important contribution to the global psychosocial research on children and families. These findings can be used to design alcohol prevention programs and policies in Ukraine.