Drug and Alcohol Review (~992) rr, r37-I43

Adolescent views on risky and illegal alcohol use

JEFFREY WILKS

Key Gentre in Strategic Management, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Abstract

A sample of 1154 adolescents from central Queensland indicated their agreement or disagreement with 28 reasons why young people drink alcohol in ways that are risky or illegal. As predicted, agreement varied across the three age groups sampled, with younger respondents being most likely to agree with drinking reasons. In contrast, very few sex differences emerged in the study. This suggests that young males and females share some common views about situations related to problematic alcohol consumption, and that age differences may be the more important factor in the development of alcohol education messages. [Wilks J. Adolescent views on risky and illegal alcohol use. Drug Alcohol Rev 1992; ii: 137-143. ]

Key words: adolescent, alcohol, alcohol use.

Introduction

Public concern about adolescent alcohol use stems largely from the possible problems drinking may cause. Among the more common alcohol-related problems experienced by adolescents are drunken- ness, drink-driving accidents, property damage, and alcohol-induced difficulties in school, family, or social relationships [1-3]. Teenagers themselves are aware that excessive drinking can lead to problems, especially vomiting, arguing and fight- ing, car accidents, wasting money, and conflict within the family [41-

If preventive measures aimed at minimizing alcohol-related problems are to be successful then gaining information from adolescents about their drinking attitudes and beliefs must be assigned a high priority. Educational programmes designed from empirical research show considerable prom- ise. For example, the New South Wales "Stay in Control" Campaign [5] developed specialized messages about drinking for young people. These

messages tapped adolescents' own concerns that one of the negative aspects of excessive consump- tion was losing control and being embarrassed in front of friends. More recently, the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NCADA) has developed a series of youth and alcohol advertise- ments for television. The message for teenagers, identified through research, is that excessive drinking can make you vomit [6]. Again, this is embarrassing in front of one's friends.

Reviews of the adolescent alcohol literature consistently highlight the importance of consider- ing both age and sex in understanding young people's drinking [7-91- According to Sharp and O'Donnell [io], age is probably the most impor- tant descriptor and analytic variable for survey research in the drug field. On an applied level, the NCADA has recognized some age variations among their adolescent target groups for media campaigns and designed responsible drinking messages accordingly. While the current messages

Jeffrey Wilks, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Key Centre in Strategic Management, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4ooi, Australia. Correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Wilks.

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i38 Jeffrey llTilks

appear to have face validity, with both adolescents and health professionals, the work has not been subjected to rigorous evaluation. Nor has addi- tional research been undertaken to determine whether there are other adolescent concerns about excessive drinking around which educational mes- sages might be developed.

To address these issues the present study asked adolescents to provide feedback on a list of reasons that might be the cause of young people drinking alcohol in ways that are risky or illegal. Since the vast majority of Australian adolescents have at least tried a drink of alcohol by the age of i2 [4], and up to 47 % of male and 4I% of female high- school students report drinking each week [ii], the present study concentrated on reasons for risky or illegal drinking rather than drinking per se.

In order to provide a developmental framework for examining the reasons for drinking a balanced- quota design was employed in this study. Follow- ing the work of Potvin and Lee [I2] the planned sample was to contain equal numbers of adole- scents aged i3-I4, i5-x6 and i7-I8 years. These groups were chosen to represent early, middle and late adolescence. Since previous research had highlighted a very casual attitude toward drinking held by young Australians [4] it was expected that many of the reasons offered for risky or illegal consumption would receive only minimal endorse- ment. However, there is some evidence that younger adolescents are more concerned about the health risks of alcohol use [i3,i4] and that this concern is not as evident among older adolescents. For this reason, where age differences might emerge in the reasons for drinking, it was predicted that the younger age group would be most likely to agree with the reasons. In addition, since drinking alcohol can be seen as a 'rite of passage' symbolizing a transition to adulthood [i5~ it was predicted that the mid-teen group would hold generally similar views to those of the older adolescent group.

Sex differences in the overall prevalence of adolescent drinking have diminished considerably in recent years [41, though young males still drink more frequently and in greater quantities than do young females [H]. At the same time, social- psychological analyses of drinking behaviour show quite separate factors operating to influence male and female adolescents' alcohol use [i6]. Females appear to be more concerned about the negative

consequences of alcohol use, and are guided more by personal attitudes in their own drinking habits [XT]. Given these previous findings, and the importance of designing appropriate educational messages for both males and females [6], it was predicted that females would differ from males in the present study by expressing stronger agree- ment with the reasons offered for risky or illegal drinking.

Methods

Sampling

All tertiary students enrolled in an advanced psychology course at the University College of Central Queensland acted as research assistants. They were issued six questionnaires each, and given the responsibility of having the forms completed by adolescents. The balanced-quota design specified equal numbers of male and female adolescents in three age groups (I3-14, i5-i6 and i7-x8 years).

Subjects

A total of II54 adolescents (575 males and 579 females) participated in the study. Males had a mean age of15. 5 years and females were i5. 4 years of age, on average. Based on scales of occupational status developed at the Australian National Univer- sity [i8], approximately half of the sample had fathers employed in professional or white collar positions (49.5°/0), while a further 44.5 % were employed in manual occupations. Mothers' occu- pations were fairly evenly divided between white collar and professional positions (4o.5%) and full- time home duties (37.5%), with the remainder being employed in a variety of manual occupations.

Most adolescents in the sample (88%) were full- time students at either the secondary or tertiary level, and were living at home with parents or relatives (85o/0).

Instruments and procedures

As part of a long-term project examining young Australians' family relationships and drinking behaviour [7,i6:7,i9], teenagers in this study completed a series of questions about their leisure time, current adolescent concerns, and attitudes and beliefs about alcohol use.

Adolescent views on risky and illegal alcohol use i39

The confidential questionnaires were usually handed to subjects by the university students. Each questionnaire had an introductory letter attached, explaining the purpose of the study and guarantee- ing anonymity. Respondents were asked not to put their name on the questionnaires, and to seal the completed schedules in the envelope provided. The envelopes were returned unopened to the researcher.

Reasons for drinking scale

Subjects responded to a 28-item scale which asked them to indicate their agreement or disagreement with reasons for why some young people drink alcohol "in ways that are risky or illegaL" The scale was developed from a comprehensive review of the adolescent alcohol literature [4] and through extensive consultation with health profes- sionals working with young people [20]. Subjects indicated their support for each drinking reason by circling a corresponding number on a six-point Likert-type scale (i = strongly agree; 6 = strongly disagree).

Results

Factor analysis

To examine the underlying structure of the 28 reasons for drinking, a principal-axis analysis with varimax rotation was conducted on the ratings made by the full sample of adolescents. A four- factor solution, which explained 51% of the total variance, had the most interpretable factor struc- ture. Eleven reasons loaded highly (>o.35) on factor r, which accounted for 23% of the total variance. This dimension was labelled Immature and Unprepared since reasons loading on this factor suggested that young people's risky or illegal alcohol use stemmed from immature atti- tudes and a lack of preparation to handle drinking. These reasons included thinking it (drinking) will be fun (0.80), having no sense of right and wrong (o.72), not knowing what alcohol can do (o.55), getting into bad company (o.53), not enough alcohol education in schools (o.53), and parents not looking after them properly (0.42).

Seven items loaded on factor 2, labelled Peer Group Pressure. These reasons included being able to boast about drinking to their friends (o.8x),

wanting to be part of the group (0.77), being pushed into drinking by other young people (o.77), and wanting to look grown up (0.66).

Factor 3 was labelled Adult Modelling and Apathy since the five items loading on this dimension appeared to represent a weary accep- tance of drinking in the community. Reasons included the police not enforcing the liquor laws enough (o.7o), adolescents seeing adults drinking (o.6o), young people not caring about the conse- quences of drinking (o.55), and boredom (0.49)-

Finally, five items loaded highly on factor 4. This dimension was labelled Coping and Avail- ability since it seemed to represent an easy access to alcohol and the possible use of alcohol to cope with problems. Items included having problems at school (0.83) and home (o.82), feeling low (o.6i), publicans selling alcohol without checking ages (o.45), and the ease with which one can obtain alcohol (0.43).

Sex differences

Across the 28 reasons for drinking significant differences between males and females emerged on only four items. Under factor t, females (~" = 3.20) were more likely than males (~ = 3.39) to agree that young people drink in risky or illegal ways because they have too much freedom (F = 4.64, P <0 .%) . Females (~' = 2.63) were also more likely than males ( ~ = 2.87) to agree that risky or illegal drinking is a consequence of young people getting into bad company ( F = 7.35, P <o.oi) . Under factor 2, females ( ~ = 2.25) expressed stronger agreement than males (~-----2.50 ) that young people do not think about the consequences of their actions when drinking (F = io.oo, P <o.oi) . Finally, under factor 3, females ( ~ = 3.4I) were again more likely than males (~ = 3.62) to agree that there is too much advertising about alcohol (F = 5.H, P <o.o5).

Age differences

In contrast to the limited number of sex differ- ences on the reasons for drinking, Table i shows that age differences emerged on 19 of the 28 items. All of the reasons for risky or illegal drinking identified under factor i showed significant differ- ences between the three age groups. The most common pattern was for the youngest group

i4o Ieffrey l~ilks

(i3-i 4 year olds) to express strongest agreement with the reasons for drinking, followed by the mid- teens (x5-i6 years), and the oldest group (I7-I8 years) being least likely to agree with the reasons. This pattern emerged for the following reasons: getting into bad company, parents not looking after them properly, young people telling themselves the drinking will only happen once, no sense of right or wrong, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and adolescents having too much freedom. On the items about finding it exciting to take risks, thinking it would be fun, and wanting to try something new, the pattern varied, with mid-teen respondents showing most agreement, followed by the older group. The reverse was true for the items about young people not knowing enough about alcohol's effects, and there not being enough alcohol education in schools. Here the youngest group were again most in agreement, but the mid- teen respondents were least likely to agree. Older teenagers took an intermediate position. Follow-up tests (Fisher LSD) revealed that overall on factor i the x5-x6 year olds and the i7-i8 year olds were very similar, and differed from the i3-i 4 year olds on most items.

Looking at general patterns among the means on factor x the strongest and most consistent agreement between groups was that young people may drink in risky or illegal ways because they think it will be fun, and because they want to try something new. There was also general disagree- ment that parents not looking after their children properly was a reason for the children's drinking.

On factor u there were five significant age differences. In all five cases the youngest respon- dents were most likely to agree with the reasons for risky or illegal drinking, followed by the mid- teens, then the older respondents. All groups tended to agree that young people may get into difficulties with their drinking through reasons related to peer group pressure.

There were only two age differences on the items under factor 3 (Table i). Again the younger group expressed most agreement with the reasons offered for drinking, though the item concerning too much advertising about alcohol received a fairly neutral rating by mid-teen respondents, and the older group disagreed with this reason for problem drinking. Seeing adults drinking was considered to be a reason that young people drink illegally by all groups, with mid-teen and older

respondents being very similar and differing from the younger group. Among the non-significant results were strong agreement by all teenagers in the sample that being bored, and not caring about the consequences of their actions, were reasons that young people do get into trouble with their drinking.

Finally, there was only one item with a significant age difference on factor 4. This time the oldest group was most likely to agree that adolescents might drink in risky or illegal ways because publicans sell alcohol without checking ages. The youngest group expressed least agree- ment with this item. Other reasons under factor 4 received fairly neutral responses, with mean rat- ings near the middle of the scales.

Discussion

Adolescents in the present study tended to agree generally with the reasons offered for young people's risky or illegal alcohol consumption. This finding is contrary to the prediction that most reasons would receive only minimal endorsement, but it is a positive result since it suggests that the published literature is accurate in identifying reasons for drinking. Taking 3.5 as the mid-point on the scale used, the only items with which adolescents disagreed were: parents not looking after their children properly, young people having no sense of right or wrong, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Strongest agreement was with the following reasons: they think drinking will be fun, want to try something new, wanting to be part of the group, to look grown up, and an acceptance that young people do not think about the consequence of their drinking.

Having fun and trying something new are reasons offered for drinking by a majority of adolescents [4,2I] so it is not surprising, especially for underaged drinkers, that consumption outside the home falls into the illegal category. Being illegal it probably has an element of risk attached as well. However, the consistently strong agree- ment with most items under factor 2 should highlight to educators the importance of assisting teenagers to resist drinking pressure from their age mates. While becoming a drinker may be consi- dered an integral aspect of the process of adolescent development [22] there is no reason

Adolescent views on risky and illegal alcohol use

Table i. Mean ratings and significance levels on reasons for drinking, by age group a

141

i3-i 4 i5-16 i7-i8 Items years years years F-test

Factor l Get into bad company 2.3i 2.93 3.oi 25.6i*** Parents do not look after them properly 3.43 4.oi 4.07 2L7I*** Do not know enough about what alcohol can d~52 3.16 3.04 20.82*** Tell themselves it will only be once 2.75 3 .Io 3.45 I9.46"** No sense of right and wrong 3.3 o 3.78 3.92 i8.75"** In the wrong place at the wrong time 3.43 3.77 4"07 17.67"** Not enough alcohol education in schools 2.87 3.43 3-32 I4.85"** Given too much freedom 3 .oI 3.34 3.53 I2.74"** Find it exciting to take risks 2.88 2.52 2.64 6.87** Think it will be fun 2.i 9 1.93 2.00 5.07** Want to try something new 2.25 2.04 2.18 3.7 °*

Factor 2 Think they are better than everyone else

if they drink 2.49 2.87 3-I9 19.2I*** Pushed into it by other young people 2.33 2.67 2.75 io.o7"** Like to be able to boast about it

to their friends 2.28 2.58 2.64 6.32** Do not think about the consequences 2.19 2.45 2.48 5-78** There is too much pressure to be a drinker 3.o2 3.28 3.3 ~ 4.23* Want to look grown up 2.3o 2.5I 2.47 NS Want to be part of the group 2.08 2.24 2.I5 NS

Factor 3 Too much advertising about alcohol 3.14 3.55 3.85 21.o2"** See adults drinking 2.51 2.8i 2.82 5-54** Police do not enforce the liquor laws enouglB.o 5 3.29 3.I9 NS Do not care about the consequences 2.71 2.74 2.84 NS They are bored 2.9i 2.88 2.97 NS

Factor 4 Publicans sell alcohol without

checking ages 2.82 2.6i 2.53 3.53* Can get alcohol too easily 2.48 2.53 2.53 NS Having problems at school 3.34 3.51 3.55 NS Having problems at home 2.90 3.06 3.08 NS Feeling low at the time 3.00 3.i5 3.I3 NS

a The six-point scale ranged from x = strongly agree to 6 = strongly disagree. * P <0.05; ** P <o .o i ; *** P <o.ooi ; NS : not significant.

why this process should involve unnecessary pressure toward conformity.

Adolescents tended to agree that seeing adults drinking was a factor in young people's risky or illegal consumption. Modelling is clearly a factor in the development of adolescent drinking behav- iour and attitudes [16,23] , but also important is access to alcohol. Of particular concern is the strong agreement expressed by adolescents in this

study that young people can get alcohol too easily and that publicans sell alcohol without checking ages. Modell ing appropriate behaviour means that all adults, including bar staff, law enforcement officials and parents, should demonstrate respon- sible dealings with alcohol for young people to observe. Knowing that alcohol is readily available, and that underage drinking goes largely unde- tected [4], it is not surprising that teenagers

142 Ieffrey g/'ilks

continue to drink illegally on licensed premises. Discouraging unsupervised consumption of alco- hol by adolescents on licensed premises must be assigned a high priority if alcohol-related prob- lems are to be reduced.

The prediction that females would differ from males by expressing stronger agreement with the reasons offered for risky or illegal drinking was not supported. On only four of the 28 items did sex differences emerge, suggesting that boys and girls share generally similar views. Interestingly, on the four reasons where sex differences were noted (young people having too much freedom, getting into bad company, not thinking about the conse- quences of their actions, and too much advertising about alcohol), females were consistent in express- ing stronger agreement than males.

On the other hand, the two predictions made for age differences (that the youngest age group would be most likely to agree with the reasons, and that the mid-teen and older age groups would hold similar views) were supported. Age differ- ences were revealed on 19 of the 28 items. Utilizing the group clusters identified by factor analysis the main age differences emerged on factor 1. The youngest group (13-14 year olds) reported most agreement with these reasons for risky or illegal drinking. Their personal inexperi- ence with alcohol and limited exposure to peer drinking situations [i3,I4] may explain their stronger endorsement of reasons such as getting into bad company and not knowing enough about what alcohol can do. As predicted, the mid-teen respondents and the older adolescents were very similar in their mean ratings, suggesting that increased opportunities to drink and observe alcohol consumption during the mid-teen [4] and young adult years [24] give adolescents similar perceptions about the reasons for risky or illegal consumption.

Consistent with a large literature about peer pressure influencing adolescent drinking [e.g. 25,26], the youngest age group expressed strongest agreement with peer-related reasons for drinking. However, as noted above, all adolescents acknow- ledged the influence of peer pressure, and under factors 3 and 4, the modelling of adult behaviour.

Given the large number of age-group differ- ences that emerged in the present study, it is reassuring to see that government reports on adolescent drinking [e.g. 27] continue to offer

detailed information on the prevalence of alcohol use by age and gender. This information can then be added to our growing knowledge about adolescents' reasons for drinking and appropriate educational messages developed to minimize alco- hol-related problems. From the present study it is clear that adolescents agree that peer pressure is a major reason for risky or illegal drinking, but also that some young people may be at risk because they are immature and unprepared for drinking alcohol. To a large extent the situational contexts in which drinking occurs [28] will determine whether consumption really is risky, rather than just illegal for the underaged drinker. Further investigation of these situational contexts is neces- sary for the valid design of responsible drinking messages.

The choice of the term 'risky or illegal' in the present study was an attempt to measure not just general reasons for drinking [2i], but those situations which may result in trouble or difficulty for adolescents. Exactly how subjects understood this term, and even whether the separate words 'risky' and 'illegal' describe different types of drinking situations, remains to be explored. A large study in which adolescents have an opportu- nity to themselves identify and rank order 'risky' drinking situations (through open-ended questions or interviews) would greatly enhance our under- standing of this important activity area.

Acknowledgements

This study was supported in part by a grant from the 'I Decide' Youth and Alcohol Campaign, Alcohol and Drug Dependence Services, Queen- sland Department of Health. The author wishes to thank Brad Levingston for his help in planning and developing the project.

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