Heavy Episodic Drinking Among Adolescents: A Test of Hypotheses Derived from Control Theory (Heavy EPISODIC DRINKING AMONG ADOLESCENTS‪)‬

Abstract Despite a growing body of literature on the causes of heavy episodic drinking, little attention has been paid to this phenomenon in the sociological and criminological literature. This research assesses the extent to which a popular theory of crime and deviance, control theory, can explain heavy episodic drinking. Analysis of data collected from a convenience sample of 938 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students shows that attachment to parents, belief in the law, commitment to school, and self-control are all strong predictors of adolescent heavy episodic drinking. Thus, control theory contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of adolescent heady episodic drinking. The implications of the control theory notion that social integration is a deterrent to heady episodic drinking are discussed.