How Important Is the Context of an Adolescent's First Alcoholic Drink? Evidence that Parental Provision May Reduce Later Heavy Episodic Drinking

In: European addiction research, Volume 18, Issue 3, p. 140-148

Abstract

<i>Objective: </i>This study examined the extent to which a retrospective measure of parental provision of the first alcoholic beverage was related to current heavy episodic drinking and current responsible drinking practices. <i>Sample:</i> 608 14- to 17-year-olds from the 2007 Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey. <i>Measures:</i> Source of first alcoholic beverage (friends/parents/others), source of current alcohol, age of onset of alcohol use, current responsible drinking practices, and proportion of current friends who drink. <i>Results:</i> Binary logistic and multiple regression procedures revealed that parental provision of an adolescent's first alcoholic beverage predicted lower current heavy episodic drinking, and responsible drinking mediated this association. <i>Discussion:</i> The results suggested that for adolescents who become alcohol users, parental provision of the first drink may reduce subsequent alcohol-related risks compared to introduction to alcohol by friends and other sources. Alcohol-related risks remain significant for adolescents who consume alcohol, independent of who is the provider.