Children and adolescents of any age who drink or taste alcohol with the permission of their parents are more likely to engage in dangerous drinking in the adulthood of young people. That's the findings of a new study published by my colleagues and I in the journal Addictive Behavior.

In the study, we studied the questionnaire filled out annually between 2009 and 2018, which started with 387 adolescents and accompanying parents at the age of 11. Topics include the history of drinking between children and parents, beliefs about alcohol, and rules about alcohol in the family. The questionnaire also asked if teenagers had ever had alcohol with their parents’ permission, even taking only a few sips, and if so, at which age they were originally.

We analyzed whether alcohol expectations are predicted during adolescence during adolescence during adolescence. These results include how long they have been drinking, how many times they have been drinking, symptoms and negative consequences of alcohol use disorders, such as self-harm and regretful things.

We then looked at whether the age at which this practice began affects the likelihood of risk drinking. In our analysis, we also considered factors such as alcohol consumption, parental drinking, and personality.

In our sample, parent-permitted drinking began at ages 5 to 17, but usually started around 12 years old. We found that about 80% of teenagers responded that they were drunk with permission from their parents. This number is higher than some other studies, most likely because our study has a wide range of age. Research exploring the topic often focuses on young adolescents whose parents are unlikely to allow them to try alcohol, but this practice becomes increasingly common as adolescents age.

We found that teenagers were more likely to drink alcohol more frequently during young adulthood than those who did not, while in families, families who allowed this practice were more alcohol-drinking. The risk of experiencing symptoms of alcohol use disorders and the negative consequences of alcohol consumption in adult young people are also higher. Importantly, the age of drinking that was permitted by parents did not change this effect.

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Why it matters

Parents play a key role in teaching their children about alcohol. This family usually introduces the first context of children's alcohol by trying it out on their own or observing others to drink. In the United States, studies show that 30% to 40% of children under the age of 13 try alcohol with their parents' permission.

Many parents think it is a protective strategy, believing it reduces curiosity about alcohol and provides an opportunity to monitor safe drinking. However, research from several research groups found that parents provide alcohol, or even drink only, actually increases rather than decreases future drinking.

Our study is the first to explore whether the age at which parents permit alcohol experimentation will lead to greater drinking potential. Overall, these findings can inform public health information to explain the risks of allowing adolescents to try alcohol at any age.

Why do parents enjoy drinking or drinking rights increase their risk? Some scientists speculate that it can promote the belief that parents favor drinking in minors and change the attitudes and beliefs of children to be more pro-peeled.

Ongoing work in our lab supports this. That is, it strengthens their belief in potential positive outcomes of drinking, such as making the party more fun, and weakens their belief in potential negative outcomes, such as having trouble.

Don't know yet

Future research could shed light on whether drinking and tasting alcohol regularly during adolescence is more risky than just one or two times.

Furthermore, the harm of this practice may depend on the personality of the adolescent and what parents allow. This can be especially harmful for children who tend to find new and exciting experiences, for example. On the other hand, in highly structured environments such as religious activities, the risks may be smaller.

A brief introduction to the research is a brief view of interesting academic work.