Acceptability of alcohol supply to children – associations with adults’ own age of initiation and social norms

Abstract

Issue addressed The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of adults’ perceived acceptability of introducing alcohol to children less than 18 years of age. Methods An online survey. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between demographic characteristics, alcohol consumption, and social norms and adults’ own age of initiation. Results Alcohol consumption, age of initiation and perception of the acceptability of drunkenness were all correlated with the acceptability of introducing children to alcohol. The strongest predictor was adults’ own age of initiation. Conclusions Adults who began drinking before the age of 18, and those who drink more heavily, are more likely to perceive the provision of alcohol to children as acceptable. So what? Policy and research should continue to focus on and monitor efforts to delay adolescent alcohol initiation and reduce consumption levels among adults. A shift in awareness and perceptions about alcohol use among adults has the potential to influence initiation and heavy drinking among adolescents.

When are they old enough to drink? Outcomes of an Australian social marketing intervention targeting alcohol initiation

“…Further, there is a commonly‐held belief that supervised alcohol consumption is an effective harm‐minimisation strategy . Consistent with this, studies in Australia , New Zealand and the UK have found that the age at which it is perceived acceptable for children to have a full drink of alcohol is around 17 years—a year earlier than the legal purchase age (but often perceived to be a legal drinking age) of 18—and a weak or watered down drink 1 to 2 years earlier than this. Strategies to correct misperceptions of social norms have been effective in reducing alcohol consumption among young drinkers , and it is possible that similar strategies could be effective in reducing parents’ intentions to supply.…”

Association between age at first alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking: An analysis of Thailand’s smoking and alcohol drinking behavior survey 2017

“…Drinking initiation is a result of a combination of contextual factors including parental drinking, parental supervision, friends’ drinking, and school bonding [ 16 ]. Apart from those who are likely to drink heavily themselves, parents with early onset of drinking perceived providing alcohol to children as acceptable [ 36 ]. Hence, an effect of earlier drinking initiation in one generation may lead to HED in the next generation.…”