A closer look at the role of parental support and consistency of discipline as a moderator in the relationship between peer affiliations and alcohol use further complicates this issue. Marshal and Chassin (2000) longitudinally examined the differential impact these parenting variables had on adolescents ages 10 ½ to 15 ½ to determine whether increased support and discipline was associated with increased ability for youth to resist pressure from alcohol-using peers. Although this was the case with girls, boys were more susceptible to peer influence with increased parental support and discipline. The authors suggest that boys may increase peer affiliation when they perceive parental control as a threat to their independence (Marshal & Chassin, 2000). Boys may be asserting their autonomy as a way to remain congruent with traditional gender roles (see the following section on “Socialization and Gender Roles” for more detail).
