Deerfield Town Hall MeetingDeerfield Town Hall Meeting on

High School Drinking

S tt C ld llScott Caldwell

UW Hospital & ClinicsAdolescent Assessment and Intervention Program

Goals for this presentation:Goals for this presentation:

1 Gain better appreciation of1. Gain better appreciation of adolescents’ development

2. Increase perception of risk for teen alcohol useteen alcohol use

3. Identify ways parents can reduce y y pteen drinking and related risks

The “Health Paradox” of AdolescenceSource: Dahl (2005)

On one hand…Measures of most abilities show thatMeasures of most abilities show that

adolescence is the healthiest and most resilient period of the lifespanmost resilient period of the lifespan

B t th th h dBut on the other hand…Clinical problems and mortality rates C ca p ob e s a d o ta ty ates

increase 200 to 300 percent

Primary causes of clinical yproblems and mortality during adolescence areduring adolescence are related to difficulties with control of behavior and emotionemotion

Adolescent Neuroscience

• New science

Adolescent Neuroscience

New science

Imaging technology provides windows i t th d l i b iinto the developing brain

Adolescent Neuroscience

• New science

Adolescent Neuroscience

New science

I i ht i t t• Insights into teen behaviors

• Implications forImplications for parenting

General findings:General findings:• Adolescence is a period of• Adolescence is a period of

profound and unique brain maturationmaturation

Brain developmentADOLESCENCE

General findings:General findings:• Adolescence is a period of• Adolescence is a period of

profound and unique brain maturationmaturation

• Remodeling of basic structure

• The brain maturation process is not pcomplete until about age 24!!

amygdalaRegulates emotion

Directs motivation

CEO: judgment, decision making planning aheadmaking, planning ahead

Research: These areas are still developing during adolescencedeveloping during adolescence

amygdala

Understanding teenage behavior:Understanding teenage behavior:

• Limits to motivation: preferences for lowLimits to motivation: preferences for low effort, high excitement activities

• Limits to emotional l ti moodiness, quick toregulation: moodiness, quick to

anger

• Limits to judgments: increased risk taking, decreased planningdecreased planning ahead

Understanding teenage behavior:Understanding teenage behavior:

• Limits to motivation:Limits to motivation:

These limits are • Limits to emotional

l ti

normative, biologically-drivenregulation: biologically driven,

and inevitable!• Limits to judgments:

Alcohol use amplifies these vulnerabilities

Deerfield Youth & Drinking

Source: DCYA (2008)Source: DCYA (2008)

Alcohol Use by Deerfield 9th 12th d9th – 12th graders

P t d i ki b / i t• Percentage drinking beer/wine past year: 31%

• Percentage drinking liquor past year: 23%

• Percentage drinking past 30 days:

23%

20%

Alcohol affects teens differently than adults:

• Reduced sensitivity to intoxication

Source: Clark (2004); Deas et al. (2000); ( ); ( );Tapert (2006); Winters (2004)

Of Deerfield youth who drank within the t 30 d t h t dpast 30 days, percentage who reported

binge drinking:

Source: DCYA (2008)

Alcohol affects teens differently than adults:

• Reduced sensitivity to intoxication• Involvement with other drug useInvolvement with other drug use

Source: Clark (2004); Deas et al. (2000); Tapert (2006); Winters (2004)Tapert (2006); Winters (2004)

Current drinking is strongly associated with prevalence (%) of past year drug useprevalence (%) of past year drug use

Source: DCYA (2008)

Alcohol affects teens differently than adults:

• Reduced sensitivity to intoxication• Involvement with other drug useInvolvement with other drug use• Greater risk taking

Source: Clark (2004); Deas et al. (2000); Tapert (2006); Winters (2004)

Current drinking is strongly associated with l (%) f t i k b h iprevalence (%) of current risk behaviors

Alcohol affects teens differently than adults:

• Reduced sensitivity to intoxication• Involvement with other drug useInvolvement with other drug use• Greater risk taking• Risk for cognitive deficits

Source: Clark (2004); Deas et al. (2000); Tapert (2006); Winters (2004)Tapert (2006); Winters (2004)

Binge drinking and the teen brain

15 year old male non-drinker

15 year old male heavy drinker

Parenting Matters

Parents: How to maximize your yprotective influences?

Involvement/ ResponsivenessInvolvement/ ResponsivenessDemands/ Expectations

Six Ways Parents Can Exert Influence

• Being involved & responsiveBeing involved & responsive1. Love & support2 Good conversations2. Good conversations3. Quality family time

• Having demands & expectationsa g de a ds & e pectat o s4. Clear limits5 Monitoring5. Monitoring6. Accountability

1. Your Love & Support1. Your Love & Support

• Your teen needs your support• Your teen needs your support• Acknowledge strengths• Express how proud you feel• Keep affection age appropriate• Keep affection age-appropriate• Avoid criticizing

Strong, positive family relations are a g, p ypowerful deterrent to teen drinking!

2. Good Conversations2. Good Conversations

• Percentage of Deerfield high school students who report having “goodstudents who report having good conversations” about AOD with parents: 17%parents:

• Percentage of middle school 17%

students: 11%

Source: DCYA (2008)

2. Good Conversations (cont.)

• Teens crave good conversations with their parentstheir parents

• Initiate conversations about alcohol• Use active listening

3. Quality Family Time3. Quality Family Time

• Teens value time with the family• Teens value time with the family• Quality versus quantity• Engage activities your son/daughter

enjoys (include friends?)enjoys (include friends?)• Regular family dinners

National research shows that…

For frequent (5-7 weekly) versus infrequent (0-2 weekly) family dinnersinfrequent (0-2 weekly) family dinners…

Parents reported: Teens reported:Parents reported:• knowing teen’s

friends better

p• less association with

AOD-involved peersfriends better• knowing more names

of teachers

p• better grades

of teachers• having better quality

parent-teen relations• less AOD use

parent teen relations

Source: CASA (2006)

4. Clear Limits

• Parent-set limits is a critical protective• Parent-set limits is a critical protective influence

• Parents as “surrogate frontal lobes”

Where do you stand on your teen’s use of alcohol?of alcohol?

Very Undecided VeryVeryPermissive

Undecided VeryNon-permissive

ProtectiveProtective factor

RiskRisk

Parents: wrong to drink alcoholg(% strongly agree/ agree)

Source: DCYA (2008)

How do you communicate ?your stance?

• Be clear• Be respectful• Be respectful • Explain your reasoning• Identify your consequences

5. Monitoring

• Monitor what? – whereabouts, activities, and time with friends– status at curfew– teen parties and overnights– mood and behavior– alcohol in the home/garage

• “Trust but verify”Trust but verify

Bottom line: Parental monitoringBottom line: Parental monitoring decreases teen alcohol use!

Parents know where I am(% strongly agree/ agree)

Source: DCYA (2008)

6. Accountability6. Accountability

If an incident of drinking occursIf an incident of drinking occurs…

D ’t bl th f i d !• Don’t blame the friends!• Consequences should be firm but fairq• Utilize “natural consequences”• Disapprove of the behavior not the• Disapprove of the behavior, not the

person

Take Home Messages:g

Continue to develop strong, positive family relationsAdd 1-2 weekly family dinnersInitiate more conversations about alcoholSend clear, non-permissive messages about , p g

any teen alcohol useMonitor whereabouts and activitiesFollow through when rules are broken

Conclusion: parents have a great deal of influence duringgreat deal of influence during

the teen years. y

The question is: how are you going to use it?going to use it?

Internet resources:

• www.theantidrug.comParenting site sponsored by the National Drug Control Policy

• www.nida.nih.gov/parent-teacher.htmlNational Institute on Drug Abuse: resourcesNational Institute on Drug Abuse: resources for parents and teachers

• www.drugfree.orgPartnership for a Drug-Free America p gresources

Suggested readings:

• The Primal Teen: What the New Discoveries About the Teenage Brain Tell Us About Our KidsBrain Tell Us About Our Kids.

Strauch, B. (2003). NY: Anchor Books.

• The 10 Basic Principles of Good Parenting.Steinberg, L. (2004). NY: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks.

• You and Your Adolescent: A Parent’s Guide for Ages 10-20(Revised edition)(Revised edition).

Steinberg, L., & Levine, A. (1997). NY: Harper Resource.

Local resource:Local resource:

UW-Adolescent Assessment &UW Adolescent Assessment & Intervention Program

• Alcohol/drug assessment with teens• Alcohol/drug assessment with teens• Parent involvement

C fid ti l• Confidential• No charge

• For more information please call 262-1111

Thank you!

scaldwell@uwhealth orgscaldwell@uwhealth.org