Factors Affecting Drinking by Adolescents and Young Adults

by National Institute of Health

(Page 5 of 6)

In general, a person's drinking behavior is affected by two groups of factors: Internal factors, such as gender, personality factors, and biological traits (e.g., certain genetic predispositions). External factors, such as social norms and the physical availability and prices of alcoholic beverages.

Gender Differences

Gender and age are important factors affecting drinking behavior. In almost every society, young adult males drink more often than young adult females. During adolescence, drinking patterns are less differentiated by gender, and at the onset of young adulthood, females may even drink more frequently than males, partly because females typically mature earlier than males and partly because they do not yet have family bonds and responsibilities. Once they reach and pass through young adulthood, however, young women tend to consume less alcohol, drink less frequently, and get drunk less often than young men.

The ESPAD study as well as some other analyses have demonstrated that many countries now show a convergence of boys' and girls' drinking patterns that blurs the distinction between the genders. For example, although consumption of beer and spirits still is more frequent among boys than girls in most ESPAD countries, prevalence rates for consumption of spirits are equal or almost equal between the sexes in nearly half of the countries. Likewise, the frequency of intoxication is similar for both genders in many ESPAD countries. The convergence of drinking patterns is especially obvious in the Nordic countries, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In the eastern and southern European countries, however, large gender differences still exist.

Social Norms and Other Social Factors

Social norms about when, how often, and at what level drinking is considered acceptable vary among different countries or even among population subgroups within a country, and they may change over time. Other social factors, such as the context of the drinking occasion, also can influence people's drinking behavior. In a Dutch study investigating the factors contributing to young adults' heavy drinking in public during weekends, social norms condoning alcohol consumption and drinking occasions characterized by socializing were identified as the most important factors. Modeling was the third most influential variable, but direct social pressure had only minimal influence.

Thus, it appears that for young adults, drinking not only is a matter of personal experimentation but also can reflect a desire to fit in with peers and other. Consistent with this hypothesis, evidence suggests that the most reliable predictor of adolescents' drinking behavior is the drinking behavior of their friends, followed by the drinking behavior of their siblings. Other family factors - such as parent - child relationships, communication, and parenting practices - also significantly influence the drinking behavior of adolescents.

Considerable evidence suggests that drinking patterns for all adults also depend on education, social class, occupation, employment status, place of residence, race or ethnicity, and religion. However, few studies have investigated the influence of these factors on young adults. One comparative study conducted in nine European countries examined the influence of marriage, parenthood, and employment on drinking behavior. These transitions tend to occur during early adulthood and demand the adoption of new social roles. The study found that parenthood was profoundly and consistently associated with women's drinking patterns - that is, women who had children, particularly young mothers, consumed less alcohol than did women without children. In the United States, religion also is an important factor affecting the age and onset of drinking. The importance of religion is further highlighted by the low alcohol consumption levels and high rates of abstinence in Muslim countries.

The influence of any social factor can differ profoundly among various countries. For example, in some countries a person's place of residence (e.g., a rural or urban area) has been shown to influence what type of beverage he or she primarily consumes. In wine-producing countries wine consumption is usually more popular in rural areas, but in the Nordic countries wine is consumed primarily in urban areas. This is explained for the most part by the fact that in wine-producing countries wine is a traditional drink with meals, whereas in the Nordic countries wine drinking is associated with modern living styles.

Alcohol Availability and Pricing

Most countries have a minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) for purchasing, selling, or consuming alcoholic beverages. In most European countries, the MLDA is 18 years or less. Several other countries - such as the United States, Egypt, Indonesia, Micronesia, Palau, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands - do not allow people to purchase, sell, or consume alcoholic beverages before the age of 21. In many countries, the MLDA is the same for all alcoholic beverages, but in countries that have different age limits for different beverage types, the age limits usually are lower for beer and wine than for distilled beverages. In most countries, MLDAs are the same for off-premise and on-premise sales.

About the Author

NIH is the nation's medical research agency - making important medical discoveries that improve health and save lives. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research.