1.28; [35]). Peer alcohol use strongly predicted the frequency of alcohol use, with ORs increasing nonlinearly with the number of peers who consumed alcohol (Table 2/3). To verify the appropriate conditions for mediation were present for the association of parental emotional closeness and alcohol use, a separate multilevel model was conducted with peer use predicted by all the other variables in Model 2. There was a significant negative relationship between emotional closeness to mothers and peer alcohol use (B = −0.43, p < .01), and with peer alcohol use in the model, emotional closeness to mother became nonsignificant (see Table 2). In terms of emotional closeness to mothers, these results were consistent with Hypothesis 2. The inclusion of control variables (Model 4) resulted in family conflict becoming nonsignificant but the effect for parent disapproval remained significant (p < .05). Sensation seeking positively predicted alcohol use and family SES negatively predicted alcohol use.
