Parents and friends influence young people’s drinking – report

A new report has found a close link between parents and friends and the drinking behaviour of young people.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation found drinking alcohol to be “widespread” among the 5,700 teenagers it surveyed in Year 9 (13 to 14-year-olds) and Year 11 (15 to 16-year-olds).

Seventy per cent of Year 9 students and 89% of Year 11 students surveyed had had an alcohol drink.

The most common age for a first drink was 12 to 13 and this was usually within the setting of a special occasion and in the company of an adult.

The survey found that in Year 9, students were drinking mainly alcopops, beer or lager. By Year 11, they were also drinking spirits or liqueurs.

More than half of Year 9 students who have had an alcoholic drink (54%) said they had been drunk before. By Year 11, 79% of students had experienced getting drunk.

The survey revealed that getting drunk was often intentional, with 47% of Year 9 and 66% of Year 11 students saying they drank alcohol with friends with the aim of getting drunk at least once a month.

In terms of frequency, nearly half of Year 9 students (47%) were drinking alcohol at least once a month, and 20% once a week.

Among Year 11 students, 72% were drinking once a month and 39% once a week.

The report concluded that friends play a “critical” role in young people’s drinking habits, whilst parents also exert a “strong” influence.

Young people were more likely to drink, drink frequently and drink to excess if they received less supervision from a parent or close adult, if they spent more than two evenings a week with friends or had friends who drink, and were exposed to a close family member getting drunk.

Drinking also increased where young people had positive attitudes towards alcohol and positive expectations of drinking, and where they had easy access to alcohol.

“The parent or guardian has a particularly strong influence on their child’s behaviour,” the report said.

“Family drinking habits, particularly perceptions of drunkenness and frequency of drinking among family members, were very important.

“Young people who have witnessed any level of family drinking and drunkenness have a greater likelihood of drinking than those who have not witnessed such behaviour.”

It added, however, that friends remained the “strongest factor” and that the likelihood of a young person drinking alcohol increased “significantly” where they were exposed to even a few friends who drink.

Claire Turner, Programme Manager for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: "This research shows that parents can have more influence on their teenagers’ behaviour than perhaps many assumed. Both what parents say, and how they behave, have a strong impact on their teenagers drinking, drinking regularly, and drinking to excess."