Underage Drinking Risk Factors and Consequences

Underage Drinking Risk Factors and Consequences Addiction Alcohol Use Print Underage Drinking Risk Factors and Consequences By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on February 02, 2017 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on October 04, 2019 Cultura/Seb Oliver / Getty Images More in Addiction Alcohol Use Binge Drinking Withdrawal and Relapse Children of Alcoholics Drunk Driving Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Underage drinking has actually been steadily declining for decades in the United States, but it is still prevalent enough to be a major public health concern. Underage drinking began a steep decline back in the 1980s when Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which required states to raise the age for legal purchase and possession of alcohol to 21 by October 1986 or lose 10% of their federal highway funds. By 1988, all 50 states and the District of Columbia had adopted 21 as the minimum drinking age, setting off a steady decline in underage drinking rates among 8th, 10th and 12th-grade students that continues today. Prevalence of Underage Drinking However, according to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 8.65 million Americans age 12 to 20 reported that they were current drinkers, meaning they had at least one drink in the past 30 days.?? Males still binge drink and drink daily more than underage females, but the differences are diminishing. White students report the highest levels of drinking, Hispanics are next and blacks report the lowest rates. Of those students who have problems or who drop out, 80% report having gotten drunk in the past month, or reported binge drinking, or reported drinking and driving in the past 30 days.?? Drinking and Adolescent Development For some students, drinking alcohol is their only behavioral problem, but for others, drinking goes along with other problem behaviors linked to unconventionality, impulsiveness, and sensation seeking, according to research.?? Typically, binge drinking among students follows the pattern of beginning around age 13, increasing during adolescence, peaking in young adulthood (ages 18-22) and then gradually decreasing.?? However, studies have found that young people who increase their binge drinking between ages 18 and 24 or who consistently binge drink at least once a week during those years may begin  having problems in the following areas:?? MarriageEducational attainmentEmploymentFinancial independence Factors That Encourage Alcohol Abuse There are many factors that can contribute to the reason that some adolescents begin a pattern of alcohol abuse and develop alcohol use disorders while others do not. Here are some of the key risk factors. Genetic Risk Factors Research has shown that genetic factors play a role in a persons vulnerability to developing alcohol problems.?? We know for certain that children of alcoholic parents are significantly more likely to become alcoholics themselves compared to children of parents who are not alcoholics. But, a family history of alcoholism is not the only determining factor. Environmental influences also play a role in whether someone develops alcohol use disorders and can vary widely from person to person.?? We also know that some environmental influences can mitigate the genetic influences and cause some children of alcoholics do not develop drinking problems. Biological Markers Studies have revealed that brain waves caused by a response to specific stimuli can provide measurable brain activity that can predict the risk of alcoholism. P300, a specific brain wave that occurs about 300 milliseconds following a stimulus of light or sound, is one of the brain waves used in these studies.?? If someone demonstrates a low P300 amplitude it indicates an increased risk for developing alcoholism, especially among the sons of alcoholic fathers. Scientists were able to predict alcohol and other drug use in preadolescent boys four years later at the average age of 16 by measuring their P300 brain waves.?? Childhood Behavior Behavior patterns in early childhood have also be found to be predictors of later drinking problems. At age 3, children who were classified as under controlledâ€"impulsive, restless or distractibleâ€"were twice as likely to be diagnosed with alcohol use disorders at age 21 compared to 3-year-olds classified as inhibited or well-adjusted.?? Children who exhibit aggressiveness as early as ages 5 to 10 years old are more likely to use alcohol and other drugs during adolescence. Children who exhibit antisocial behavior are more likely to have alcohol-related problems during adolescence and severe alcohol use disorders in adulthood, research shows.?? Psychiatric Disorders Alcohol consumption and a variety of psychiatric disorders have been linked to adolescents and young adults in several research studies:?? Adolescents who are heavy drinkers are more likely to have conduct disorders.Boys from 6 to 17 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and who had weak social relationships were significantly more likely to have severe alcohol use disorders four years later.College freshmen with anxiety disorders were twice as likely to have severe alcohol use disorders compared to those without anxiety disorders.College students with drinking problems were four times as likely to have a major depressive disorder. Along with the factors listed above, there are a number of psychosocial factors that increase the risk of underage youth making a decision to begin early-onset alcohol consumption. Parenting, Family Environment, and Peers Parents are the single most important influence on their childrens decision to become involved in substance abuse or not. Studies show that parents who drink or express favorable attitudes about drinking are linked to their children initiating alcohol consumption and continuing to drink.?? Children who are warned about the dangers of alcohol by their parents are less likely to start drinking underage. The same is true for children who report being close to their parents. A lack of parental communication, support and monitoring have been linked by researchers to the frequency of drinking, heavy drinking, and drunkenness among adolescents.?? Studies have also linked parental hostility, rejection and harsh, inconsistent discipline to childhood drinking and alcohol-related problems.?? Adolescents are more likely to drink if their peers drink,?? but beyond that, even if their peers exhibit an acceptance of drinking it can influence a childs decision to initiate alcohol consumption. Top Risk Factors for Teen Substance Abuse Positive Expectancies of Alcohol Research shows that adolescents are more likely to begin drinking if they have developed a positive expectancy about drinking.?? These positive expectancies generally increase with age and can predict both the onset of drinking and problem drinking among young people. Childhood Trauma Child abuse and other traumatic events are also risk factors for later alcohol problems among youth. Of those adolescents who end up in treatment for alcohol abuse disorders rates of physical abuse, sexual abuse, violent victimization, and witnessing violence are much higher than the general population of adolescents. Compared to study controls, adolescents in alcohol treatment programs were:?? 6 times more likely to have been abused physically18 times more likely to have been sexually abusedMore likely to have experienced posttraumatic stress disorder Those adolescents treated for alcohol abuse were 10 times more likely to have had PTSD while those treated for alcohol dependence were 13 times more likely. Alcohol Advertising Studies of the effects of alcohol advertising on children have found that alcohol ads can significantly increase positive expectancies about alcohol.?? Alcohol advertising targeted at adolescents has been found to influence alcohol brand preferences and increase the adolescents intention to drink as adults. Consequences of Adolescent Alcohol Use In the late 1960s and early 1970s, in the Vietnam war era, many states dropped their legal drinking age to 18. The political thinking was, if they are old enough to get drafted and fight for their country, they are old enough to drink. The effect was almost immediate. Alcohol-related traffic fatalities increased dramatically. Highway deaths not only increased in the states where the drinking age was lower but also in the states that bordered those states. Thats when Congress stepped in and mandated nationwide legal drinking age of 21 by threatening to withhold federal highway funding to those states that did not increase the drinking age. The higher legal drinking age immediately prompted a decrease in underage drinking and a decrease in drinking and driving as well as alcohol-related highway fatalities. The legal drinking age no doubt had an effect in other areas where underage drinking can result in problems, including: Sexual Behavior: Underage drinking is linked not only to increased risky sexual behavior but also increased vulnerability to coerced sex.?? Adolescents who drink are more likely to have sex before age 16, more likely to have sex while they are drinking and less likely to practice safe sex after drinking.Risky Behavior and Victimization: Alcohol use among 8th and 10th graders have been found to increase both risky behavior and victimization.?? This is particularly true for 8th-grade students.Puberty and Bone Growth: If studies conducted with laboratory animals are an indication, heavy alcohol consumption in adolescents can delay puberty, slow bone growth, and result in weaker bones.?? Preventing Underage Drinking Is Essential Several studies have found that early-onset drinking is linked to the risk of greater substance abuse problems later in life.?? The earlier a child begins to drink alcohol, the greater the problems he or she will face in adulthood, not only with substance abuse but with meeting important life goals such as education and careers. Therefore, it is important for parents and for society to do everything possible to prevent the initiation of childhood drinking. Laws and policies will only work so far, the real work begins in the home within the family.