The role of family, friends and peers in Australian adolescent's alcohol consumption.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines factors associated with alcohol-related attitudes and behaviours among 888 Australians aged 12 to 17 years. Although these influences have been examined in other countries, notably the USA, Australia's legal drinking age of 18 years is lower and adolescent drinking rates are substantially higher than in the USA.


METHODS
This is a survey of 888 adolescents aged 12-17; they were recruited via a variety of methods (including school based, interception in public places and online) to obtain a cross-section of participants across metropolitan, regional and rural New South Wales.


RESULTS
Most respondents believed that people their age regularly consumed alcohol; and more than half believed that their siblings and peers would approve of them drinking. Predictors of frequent alcohol consumption included having a sibling or a friend who consumed alcohol; believing parents, friends and/or siblings approved of drinking; drinking behaviours of parents, friends and/or siblings; and having a higher disposable income.


CONCLUSIONS
The results support previous findings from the USA. We find an even stronger effect of family and friends' drinking behaviours and attitudes in a country with a lower legal drinking age and high adult alcohol consumption rates.
Centre for Health Initiatives, University Of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
Sandra C
SC
Jones
Christopher A
CA
Magee
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D010379:Peer Group
adolescent; alcohol consumption; family; peer group