jueves, 16 de junio de 2011

Parents' behaviour 'can influence teen drinking'

Young person drinking The actions and words of friends and family exert a powerful influence on attitudes towards alcohol Children who see their parents drunk are twice as likely to regularly get drunk themselves, a survey of young teenagers has suggested.
Both what parents say, and how they behave, have a strong impact on their teenagers' drinking, drinking regularly, and drinking to excess”
Claire Turner Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Teenagers' friends also have a significant impact on drinking behaviour.
Pamela Bremner from Ipsos MORI, the lead author of the report, said: "For the first time in the UK, this study ranks what most influences young people's drinking behaviour.
Conflicting evidence
A mother and daughter from Bury on the impact alcohol has had on their family
But there is conflicting evidence on how to introduce young people to alcohol - leaving parents with some difficult questions unanswered.
"This research shows that parents can have more influence on their teenagers' behaviour than perhaps many assumed," said Claire Turner, Programme Manager for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
"Being introduced to alcohol at a very young age - for example, under 10 years old - makes it more likely that they will drink and drink to excess as teenagers.
Don Shenker, Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern, said the report confirms that from the beginning of a child's life parents have a strong influence on their children's future drinking patterns.