Factors Associated With Attitude Toward Alcohol in Small High Schools

The purpose of the researcher was to investigate the attitudes toward drinking and alcohol use of students in small high schools. The six independent variables investigated were grade level, gender, community, Perceived Peer Attitude Toward Alcohol, Perceived Parental Attitude Toward Alcohol, and Knowledge of Alcohol. The dependent variables were scores form the Alcohol use and Attitude Toward Drinking subscales of an alcohol questionnaire. Five composite null hypotheses sand one null hypothesis were tested at the .05 level of significance. The sample consisted of 139 students in grades 9-12. For the five composite nulls, a status survey factorial design was employed using a tree-way analysis of variance (general linear model), and the null hypothesis was tested employing a t-test for a correlation coefficient. A total of 41 comparisons were made, plus 30 recurring. Of the 41 comparisons 13 were for main effects and 28 for interactions. Of the 13 main effects 5 were statistically significant at the .05 level. Of the 28 interactions 2 were statistically significant at the .05 level. The results of the present study appeared to support the following generalizations: 1. Perceive Peer Attitude Toward Alcohol is associated with Alcohol Use, 2. Grade placement is not associated with Attitude Toward Drinking. 3. Grade placement is not associated with Alcohol Use. 4. Gender is not associated with Attitude Toward Drinking, 5. Community is not associated with Attitude Toward Drinking. 6. Community is not associated with Alcohol Use, 7. Significant interactions for gender, Perceived Peer Attitude Toward Alcohol Use: and Knowledge of Alcohol, Perceived Parental Attitude Toward Alcohol and Attitude Toward Drinking, and 8. Attitude Toward Drinking is associate to Alcohol Use