Chunk #9 — The role of romantic relationship status in pathways of risk for emerging adult alcohol use — Parental Alcohol Problems, Romantic Relationship Status, and Alcohol Use — Deviance Proneness Pathway from Parental Alcohol Problems to Romantic Relationship Status and Alcohol Use
We further hypothesize that there may be an indirect effect of parental alcohol problems on alcohol use via adolescent conduct problems and romantic relationship involvement. Specifically, there is evidence that conduct problems earlier in development appear to be a barrier to the formation of harmonious romantic relationships later on (Quinton, Pickles, Maughan, & Rutter, 1993). Horn et al. (2013) found that those who were married or cohabiting with a romantic partner in early adulthood had fewer conduct problems compared to unpartnered individuals, and that this reduced prevalence existed prior to the initiation of the cohabiting or marital relationship. Similarly, men with fewer conduct problems early in life were more likely than men with conduct problems to marry in adulthood (Jaffee, Lombardi, & Coley, 2013). In short, individuals who are prone to deviant behavior may be less likely to form exclusive, committed romantic relationships later in life. Thus, we expect there to be continuity between individuals' history of deviant behavior, their romantic relationship involvement, and their alcohol use.
