Abstract
Purpose
Previous research on community samples reveals that a sizeable minority of parents
allow their early adolescent children to drink alcohol. The present study documents
in a national longitudinal study the prevalence of parents allowing 14-year-olds to
drink and examines variation by sociodemographic background and parent alcohol use.
Methods
Children and parents (n = 10,210 families) participating in the ongoing Millennium
Cohort Study provided self-report data from when the child was an infant to age 14
years.
Results
About 17% of parents allowed their early adolescents to drink. Employed, more educated,
and non-abstaining parents of white children were more likely to permit early adolescent
drinking. Permitting alcohol use did not vary by child gender, teenage or single parenthood,
or variation in parental drinking level.
Conclusions
Socioeconomically advantaged, non-abstaining parents evidence a more permissive attitude
about early drinking, which is a risk factor for early initiation, heavier use, and
other problem behaviors.
Keywords
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References
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 15, 2017
Accepted:
September 12,
2017
Received:
June 12,
2017
Footnotes
Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Both authors conceived the aims of the study. Jennifer L. Maggs wrote the first draft of the manuscript, Jeremy A. Staff conducted the statistical analyses, and both authors are responsible for the content and approval of the final version.
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.
