| Previous research has widely acknowledged that both peers and parents play important, but sometimes contrasting, roles in the developmental trajectories and outcomes of infants and children. Much less is known, however, about how peer and parental attachment bonds promote or prevent delinquent behaviors in young adults. Using a sample of 351 college students, 18 to 20 years of age, the longitudinal design integrated two major theoretical traditions: Attachment Theory from developmental psychology and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) from social psychology. The predictive contribution of both theories was simultaneously examined in the context of underage adult alcohol use, a risky and illegal behavior widespread among college students.;Confirmatory factor analysis supported the two-factor measurement structure of Attachment Theory, consisting of peer attachment and parental attachment, each represented with the indicators of trust, communication, and non-alienation. Confirmatory factor analysis also supported the five-factor measurement structure of TPB, which assessed attitudes, norms, behavioral control, intentions, and behavior toward alcohol. After evaluating the subscale psychometric properties of Attachment Theory and TPB, the hypothesized model, integrating both theoretical frameworks into a latent structural equation model, was supported empirically. Results substantiated the hypotheses that secure peer attachment predicted pro-alcohol norms and behavioral control, and secure parental attachment predicted anti-alcohol attitudes and behavioral control. Alcohol attitudes, norms, and behavioral control each uniquely explained variance in intentions, which forecasted an increase in alcohol behavior one month later. Mediation analyses of the integrative model statistically corroborated the hypothesized sequence of processes: Peer attachment and parental attachment each indirectly predicted future behavior via the mediators of attitudes, norms, behavioral control, and intentions. All models produced high fit indices.;Results obtained from this longitudinal research are theoretically and practically informative for understanding the contrasting interpersonal forces of peers and parents on the high risk beliefs of young adults. As suggested in the current research, even after controlling for attachment bonds to peers, the protective benefits arising from attachment bonds to parents extended into early adulthood. These findings support recommendations for interventions designed to curtail risky levels of underage drinking based on the tenets of Attachment Theory and TPB. |
