Gender Differences regarding Peer Influence and Attitude toward Substance Abuse

Abstract

Gender role socialization differentially influences attitudes toward substance abuse for boys and girls. Students (n = 968, 456 = males, M age = 16.20, SD = 1.20) were administered a questionnaire to assess their perceptions of attitudes toward substance abuse. Boys' approval was significantly different than the level of approval estimated for girls on teenagers drinking beer or wine coolers χ² (4,n = 931) = 418.58, p < .00001, drinking hard liquor χ²(4,n = 921) = 432.49, p < .00001, driving after drinking χ²(4,n = 924) = 492.32, p < .00001, smoking marijuana χ²(4,n = 921) = 609.62, p < .00001, smoking cigarettes χ²(4,n = 927) = 480.35, p < .00001, taking diet pills to lose weight χ²(4,n = 914) = 185.05, p < .00001, and taking diet pills to get high χ²(4,n = 921) = 428.43, p < .00001. Teens viewed getting drunk at a party as more acceptable than driving after drinking² (4,n = 921) = 264.10, p < .00001, but gave boys more approval than girls for driving after drinking. Possible implications of these findings are discussed.