Femke Geusens, Cabral A. Bigman-Galimore, Kathleen Beullens

Identifying At-Risk Youth

Introduction

Identifying at-risk youth. This study explores how social media alcohol references and personality traits identify emerging adults at risk for heavy drinking. Findings show the link varies by individual differences.

Abstract

Background & purpose. Research indicates a positive relationship between sharing alcohol references on social media and drinking behavior. The current study extends that line of research by assessing the interaction of risk-related personality traits with alcohol-related social media use, to examine if social media can be used to identify individuals at risk for heavy drinking behavior. Methods & results. The results of a cross-sectional survey among a sample of 638 emerging adults (age 18-25) find that the positive association between sharing alcohol references on social media and drinking intention was strongest for individuals with low levels of sensation seeking and sensitivity to peer pressure, and high levels of self-control, and non-significant for those on the other end of these personality traits. Conclusions. These findings indicate that the relationship between sharing alcohol references and drinking intentions is not uniform for all individuals, and that risk-related individual differences should be considered in future research and interventions.

Review

This study addresses a critically important public health concern: the identification of risk factors for heavy drinking among emerging adults, specifically through the lens of social media use. By extending prior research that linked alcohol references on social media to drinking behavior, the authors laudably explore the complex interaction of specific personality traits—sensation seeking, sensitivity to peer pressure, and self-control—with social media sharing. The robust sample size of 638 emerging adults provides a solid foundation for the reported cross-sectional survey, and the clearly articulated background and purpose suggest a well-defined research agenda for understanding nuanced risk profiles. The findings presented are particularly compelling and offer significant new insights into the heterogeneity of risk. The discovery that the positive association between sharing alcohol references on social media and drinking intention was *strongest* for individuals with seemingly protective traits (low sensation seeking, low sensitivity to peer pressure, and high self-control) is counter-intuitive and thought-provoking. Conversely, the non-significance of this association for those on the opposite end of these personality spectra underscores that risk pathways are far from uniform. This nuanced understanding challenges simplistic models of vulnerability and strongly advocates for the integration of individual differences into future theoretical frameworks and practical interventions concerning alcohol use. While providing valuable insights, the cross-sectional nature of the study, as indicated, limits its capacity to establish causality or definitively "identify at-risk youth" in a predictive sense, despite the title's implications. The findings reveal *correlations* and *interactions* at a single point in time, rather than a predictive model for future behavior. Future research would significantly benefit from longitudinal designs to elucidate the temporal sequence of these relationships and determine whether these specific personality profiles indeed precede and predict the development of heavy drinking. Additionally, a deeper exploration into the *mechanisms* explaining why individuals with high self-control, for example, show a stronger link between social media sharing and drinking intentions could further enrich the theoretical understanding and guide more precisely targeted preventative strategies. Nevertheless, the study makes a crucial contribution by highlighting the critical moderating role of individual differences.

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