A report by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) has found that more than one in four adolescents under 18 are allowed alcoholic drinks at home.
In its report Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children – Alcohol use among teens allowed to drink at home, the Institute said its finding was based on interviews with close to 3,000 teenagers and their families.
It said the Report found that an estimated 28 per cent of Australian teens aged 16 to 17 had permission from their parents to drink at home.
Lead researcher on the Report, Brendan Quinn said the findings revealed the risks of permitting under-age alcohol use at home or allowing adolescents to take alcohol to parties.
“All alcohol use is associated with a risk of experiencing associated harm,” Dr Quinn said.
“In some cases, parents may be allowing their teenagers to drink at home in the belief that supervised alcohol consumption could facilitate a more responsible relationship with alcohol and reduce potential harm.”
He said, however, research suggested early alcohol use could lead to harmful drinking practices, both now and later in life.
Dr Quinn said the study found around one-fifth of teenagers aged 16 to 17 were allowed to take alcohol to parties or social events.
“Importantly, alcohol-related harm was more common among this group,” he said.
“Parental practices and attitudes towards alcohol can play an important role in shaping the relationship that young people have with alcohol and preventing alcohol-related harm.”
He said the study found that more frequent alcohol consumption by parents was associated with a greater likelihood of allowing teens to drink at home.
“Parents and teenagers need to be aware of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s current guidelines, which recommend delaying alcohol use until at least the age of 18 – even in environments or circumstances that might be considered low risk,” Dr Quinn said.
The AIFS’s eight-page Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
