Drinking under parental supervision promotes alcoholism: Study
POSTED January 29, 2010 - 14:49 | POSTED BY Neharika Sabharwal
Last edited by Kangna Agarwal on January 29, 2010 - 15:26
On the contrary, experts feel the approach of liberal parents in introducing alcohol to their teen children in a bid to imbibe responsible drinking generally backfires, in reality promoting heavier drinking in and out of the house.
Lead author of the study Dr. Haske van der Vorst of Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands said, "The idea is generally based on common sense. For example, the thinking is that if parents show good behavior here, modest drinking then the child will copy it.
"Another assumption is that parents can control their child's drinking by drinking with the child."
428 Dutch families examined
The researchers conducted a study to evaluate whether a relaxed approach to alcohol takes out the glamour of excessive drinking as the kids mature.
They studied 428 Dutch families with two kids aged 13 and 15 years and tracked them for a period of two years.
Both parents and their children were questioned about their drinking habits and behaviors at the onset of the study and then at the end of it to see how things had changed in the interim period.
Observations by researchers
The results of the study negate the general assumption that parents can control their kid’s liquor intake by drinking with them and steer them clear of drinking problems in later life.
The researchers found that the impact of parental supervision had an adverse effect on the adolescents’ alcohol use. They noted that teenagers who drank in the confines of their home under the watchful eye of elders were more prone to binge drinking outside irrespective of where or with whom they drink.
In addition, they were more likely to suffer from greater alcohol related problems at school or work and be embroiled in fights and truancy.
Haske van der Vorst says, "I would advise parents to prohibit their child from drinking, in any setting or on any occasion.
"If parents want to reduce the risk that their child will become a heavy drinker or problem drinker in adolescence they should try to postpone the age at which their child starts drinking."
The details of the study are published in the latest issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
