Alcohol consumption among teens: Parents need to set rules

When it comes to talking about alcohol consumption with their teenage children, many parents don’t know where to start. The official drinking age across Canada ranges from 18 to 19 years.

Although alcohol consumption among young people has fallen, more than 80% of them start drinking alcohol before the age of 17, according to data from Québec.

Many countries have introduced laws to prohibit the consumption and sale of alcohol to minors to avoid the harmful effects of alcohol on their developing brains. However, these laws are not enough to reduce consumption. The role of parents could also be decisive.

So what should parents say and do, to help?

As researchers in psychology and criminology, we carried out a study based on a survey of 1 154 Belgian teenagers, published this year.

We examined their perceptions of parental monitoring, laws and their acceptability, and their alcohol consumption.

Parents were not consulted.

In Belgium, young people can drink certain types of alcohol, such as beer and wine, starting at age 16. This minimum age is one of the lowest in the Western world.

PARENTAL MONITORING

The scientific literature clearly shows that parental monitoring helps to reduce adolescents’ alcohol consumption.

This involves parental solicitation, i.e. asking questions to find out how young people spend their free time and with whom they associate. Parental monitoring also includes the rules parents set for their children, both in general and with regards to alcohol consumption.

Rules specific to alcohol are not limited to prohibiting consumption.

For example, some young people are allowed to drink with their families on weekends, while others are also allowed to drink with their friends or during the week.

In terms of general rules, some teenagers must obtain permission to go out in the evening during the week and inform their parents of where they are going and who they are meeting.

When they are teenagers, young people question established rules. Because of this, it’s important to make sure parental rules are consistent with the laws of society.

Our study shows that when general family rules, and those more specific to alcohol, are stricter, young people perceive their illegal drinking as less acceptable.

When these young people drink, they drink less alcohol than those from families with less strict rules.

BETTER TO ACT THAN TALK

To reduce alcohol consumption among young people, it is better to rely on parental rules rather than daily discussions.

Our study shows that parental solicitation is not an effective way of preventing alcohol consumption.

These results support several other studies showing that communication between parents and their children is not enough to prevent abuse.

For example, some parents simply ask their youngsters about their activities and friendships so that they are aware of their outings, without setting any rules or expectations regarding their alcohol consumption.

– The Conversation