Identification of Alcohol by Smell among Preschoolers: Evidence for Early Socialization about Drugs Occurring in the Home

Abstract

This study tested preschoolers' ability to provide accurate verbal associations to alcoholic beverage odors and whether this ability was related to parental drinking patterns and motivations. Older preschoolers performed better than younger preschoolers; photographic cues improved performance; children who correctly identified a substance by smell had socially appropriate knowledge of the culturally appropriate users of the substance; children reported liking substances that are used mainly by children and adults, and generally reported disliking substances whose use is legally limited to adults only; children were better at identifying substances they commonly use, but success at recognition of alcoholic beverages was related to heavier parental drinking and use of alcohol for escape reasons. Findings have implications for theories of socialization to drug use and for models of prevention.

Enhanced intake of ethanol in preweanling rats following interactions with intoxicated siblings

“…It is not unreasonable to expect that repeated experiences with ethanol through demonstrator interactions could profoundly affect ethanol intakes into adolescence and perhaps into adulthood as well. Early learning in the home environment appears to be especially effective for modifying responsiveness to alcohol (Fossey, 1993;Hunt et al, 1993Hunt et al, , 1999Noll et al, 1990;Randall & Lester, 1975) and could be a major contributing factor to alcohol abuse occurring during late childhood or adolescence.…”

“…Noll, Zucker, & Greenberg, (1990) reported results indicating that preschool children whose parents were heavy drinkers were more likely to correctly identify the odor of alcohol than children whose parents drank only moderately or not at all. Another study reported similar results from a cohort of Scottish and British children (Fossey, 1993).…”

“…Clearly in animal studies both direct and indirect experiences with alcohol in the home environment has a dramatic effect on an organism's later willingness to ingest alcohol. Children also have been reported to recognize alcohol by smell; learning that was presumed to have occurred in the home environment (Fossey, 1993;Noll et al, 1990). Whether or not these or related types of early experiences with alcohol cues in the home would similarly affect ethanol preferences in terms of voluntary intake in humans is as yet unknown, but certainly is plausible and worthy of further empirical study.…”

Social interaction with an intoxicated sibling can result in increased intake of ethanol by periadolescent rats

“…Among the ways that human infants, young children, and adolescents can be exposed to alcohol in the context of the home and other social environments is through the detection of ethanol in the milk of a breast-feeding mother, long-term exposure to the odor of ethanol, direct topical application (e.g., for relief of teething pain), and/or the detection of respired ethanol cues (e.g., Fossey, 1993;Mennella & Beauchamp, 1991, 1993Noll, Zucker, & Greenberg, 1990). It has been suggested that young children acquire information about alcohol via such types of exposure.…”

“…It has been suggested that young children acquire information about alcohol via such types of exposure. Noll et al (1990) reported that children whose parents were heavy drinkers were more likely to correctly identify the odor of alcohol than children whose parents drank only moderately or not at all. Another study reported similar results from a cohort of Scottish and British children (Fossey, 1993).…”