YOUNG TEENS WHO DRINK ARE AT RISK FOR PROBLEMS IN LATE ADOLESCENCE AND ADULTHOOD
Teenage drinking plays a role in motor vehicle accidents, unintentional injuries, homicides, and suicides - the four leading causes of death among teens. Teens who drink often have academic problems, use drugs, participate in risky sexual and criminal behaviors, and are more likely to be involved in violence. Furthermore, many teens who drink at a young age have problems that persist into adulthood. Researchers from RAND, an independent research group in Santa Monica, California, investigated the prevalence of teen drinking and other problem behaviors over a 10-year period.
In a survey, 3,369 teens in grade 7 in 30 California and Oregon schools reported whether they never drank alcohol, whether they experimented with alcohol occasionally, or whether they drank regularly. Teens also indicated whether they used other substances such as cigarettes, marijuana, and other drugs. Teens answered questions about school attendance and involvement in violent or criminal activities such as carrying weapons, stealing, and fighting. The teens completed similar surveys in grade 12 and at age 23. The second and third interviews also included questions about employment performance and attendance.
Teens who said they experimented with or drank alcohol regularly were more likely than nondrinkers to report academic problems, substance use, and delinquent behavior such as stealing or vandalism in both middle and high school. When these teens reached early adulthood, they were more likely than nondrinkers to report employment problems, substance abuse, and involvement in criminal and violent behavior.
What This Means to You
When young teens drink, it may be more than just harmless experimentation. Not only does it put teens at risk for injury and accidental death, teen drinking appears to be associated with high-risk behaviors in late adolescence and early adulthood, too. If your teen shows signs of alcohol use or abuse (such as the odor of alcohol, sudden change in mood or attitude, change in attendance or performance at school, or withdrawal from family or friends), seek help from a doctor, mental health professional, or alcohol recovery program.
Source: Phyllis L. Ellickson, PhD; Joan S. Tucker, PhD; David J. Klein, MS; Pediatrics, May 2003
