Alcohol‐related problems among adolescents and the role of a sense of coherence

Alcohol abuse is generally regarded as a major risk factor for antisocial problem behaviour among adolescents. On the other hand, personal coping strategies hypothetically can be seen as protective of alcohol‐related behaviour problems. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of sense of coherence (SOC) on alcohol‐related behavioural problems in an SOC‐alcohol intoxication model. The method of study was a cross‐sectional, school‐based questionnaire study of 4,305, 16‐ and 19‐year‐old adolescents. We found that both a SOC and the frequency of alcohol intoxication were independently associated with alcohol‐related behavioural problems. Our model shows that the combination of these two independent factors amplifies them considerably, and adolescents with a strong SOC, despite frequent intoxication, were protected to a large degree from experiencing alcohol‐related problems.