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Marsha Smith, Psy.D., is a 2023 graduate of the Psy.D. Program in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University, New England

Dissertation Committee:

  • Karen Meteyer, PhD, Committee Chair
  • Gina Pasquale, PsyD, Committee Member
  • Monique Bowen, PhD, Committee Member

Keywords

alcohol misuse, predictor of alcohol misuse, perceived parental warmth, family structure, anxiety, depression, young adults

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2023

Abstract

The incidence of alcohol misuse globally continues to be a significant problem with copious adverse health and social causes and implications. The prevalence of alcohol misuse in Jamaica, British West Indies, instigated the trifold objective of this study. The ecological systems model provided a framework for conceptualizing multilayered biological and social processes that interact to determine mental health. This study examined anxiety and depression, family structure, and perceived parental warmth and control as predictors of alcohol misuse among young adults ages 18 to 30 residing in Jamaica. The current study revealed a correlation between alcohol misuse and higher levels of anxiety and depression, with women reporting higher anxiety and depression than men. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between parental warmth and alcohol misuse. Parental warmth was correlated with the AUDIT; however, no significant correlation between alcohol misuse and family structure or parental overprotection was observed. Medical and mental health professionals should champion efforts to reduce the prevalence of alcohol misuse on a societal level by advocating for the implementation of community-based interventions that provide education around the deleterious effects of alcohol misuse on physical and mental health.

Comments

Marsha Smith

ORCID Scholar ID# 0000-0002-9058-5991

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