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UNDERAGE DRINKING IS RARELY BLACK & WHITE

UNDERAGE DRINKING IS RARELY BLACK & WHITE. MEAS CONFERENCE, 14 th OCTOBER 2004. UNDERAGE DRINKING. Widely reported phenomenon. Focus on effect … not causes. Prior research tends to be academic. Ireland pretty much tops the league table (ESPAD etc).

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UNDERAGE DRINKING IS RARELY BLACK & WHITE

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  1. UNDERAGE DRINKING IS RARELY BLACK & WHITE MEAS CONFERENCE, 14th OCTOBER 2004

  2. UNDERAGE DRINKING • Widely reported phenomenon. • Focus on effect … not causes. • Prior research tends to be academic. • Ireland pretty much tops the league table (ESPAD etc). • MEAS keen to understand and address the issue. • Behaviour & Attitudes appointed to manage a programme of research in 2003. • If we don't understand the problem we can't address it.

  3. RESEARCH ELEMENTS QUALITATIVE Focus groups with Children Focus groups with Parents QUANTITATIVE Nationally representative survey of 400 12-17 year olds

  4. QUALITATIVE IN DETAIL • Nine focus groups with children and teens (1 to 2 hours duration). • Three aged 10 & 11, three aged 13 &14, three aged 16 & 17. • Broad social class range. • Single sex. • Recruited as friendship pairs. • Some eldest child, some second/third child. • Parental consent in writing. • Research did not prompt/introduce inappropriate ideas.

  5. QUALITATIVE IN DETAIL • Three focus groups with mothers. • Some 'first timers', others not. • All drink alcohol themselves. • Some mothers of boys, other mothers of girls. • 2 hours in length. • Fieldwork September 2003; 3 moderators (mixed sex, age).

  6. QUANTITATIVE IN DETAIL • 400 interviews with a nationally representative, quota sample of 12-17 year olds. • Equal numbers at each age. • Matching census vis-à-vis sex, age, region and area. • Socio-economic classification mirroring the national population structure. • Prior written parental consent, but completed with interviewer and with guarantee of confidentiality. • Low refusal rate.

  7. STRUCTURE • Core themes from the study • Not black & white • Consumption level • Consent • Drunkenness • Access • Domestic drinking • Honesty • Parent-child relationship • Cultural context • Rule setting • Attitude context • Affluence & privilege • Popular culture, the media & alcohol

  8. CORE THEMES FROM THE RESEARCH • Widespread … yes • Worse now? … maybe • More options, more money, more freedom • Media exposure • Access • Parenting styles and domestic alcohol use • Permitted access … but not a substitute for experimentation • From rules to trust • Dishonesty and boundary testing • Parental involvement • Lowest common denominator behaviour

  9. UNDERAGE DRINKING IS RARELY BLACK & WHITE • Ambiguities. • Often 'allowed' from 15-16: not illicit. • Parents prefer to know (rather than 'how it was'). • Don't be dictatorial … there are worse things. • What is 'the right thing to do'? • Children 'push out the boundaries' • Desire for open dialogue. • The law is unrealistic … need for pragmatism. • Need for identity cards and policing of licensing laws.

  10. CONSUMPTION LEVELS • For one in five 12-17s alcohol is normal in their peer group. • 43% of 16/17s drink regularly • But only 5% of 12/13s

  11. ALCOHOL PREVALENCE IN PEER GROUP All 12-17s 12-13 14-15 16-17 Dublin Rest Leins. Mun-ster Conn/ Ulster Don't know Not any Very few Some, below half Most have tried Most do regularly

  12. SERIOUSNESS OF DRINKING ALCOHOL FOR OWN AGE All 12-17s 12-13 14-15 16-17 Dublin Rest Leins. Mun-ster Conn/ Ulster Don't know Doesn't bother me Not so bad. Matter of personal choice Quite bad, people my age should avoid Very bad, people my age should avoid

  13. ALCOHOL EXPERIENCE X DEMOGRAPHICS EVER TRIED TASTED ONLY All 12-17s Boys Girls 12-13 14-15 16-17 ABC1 C2DE F Dublin R.Leins Munster Conn/Ulster Urban Rural

  14. CLAIMED AGE FIRST DRUNK ALCOHOL(Base: All who have experienced alcohol (64%)) Average 13.2 Median 13.1 9 or under = 4% Age

  15. CLAIMED FREQUENCY OF DRINKING NOWADAYS(Base: ALL WITH EXPERIENCE OF ALCOHOL: 64%) Weekly Fortnightly Monthly Every 1-2 months Every 3 months Less often Never Refused/not stated (ie: just under once a month) MONTHLY AVERAGE 0.93

  16. CLAIMED FREQUENCY OF DRINKING X DEMOGRAPHICS (Base: All 12-17s) AGE REGION All 12-17s 12-13 14-15 16-17 Dublin Rest Leins. Mun-ster Conn/ Ulster Weekly Fort-nightly Monthly Every 1-2 months Every 2-3 months Less often Never Monthly or more Ever at all nowadays 20 4 8 45 28 23 14 18 42 16 38 70 53 47 36 32

  17. PARENTAL CONSENT • The extent to which young people claim to have parental consent for (some of) their drinking is striking. • 14% of all 12 and 13 year olds have drunk (at some stage) with parental consent (or a third of those who drink at this age). • 28% of all 14 and 15 year olds have drunk (at some stage) with parental consent (or 43% of those who drink at this age). • 54% of all 16 and 17 year olds have drunk (at some stage) with parental consent (or 63% of those who drink at this age). • Widespread ambiguity … lowest common denominator. • Parents’ misgivings about other parents’ standards are very striking. A variety of verbatim quotations illustrate the extent and complexity of issues involved.

  18. PARENTAL CONSENT “I went to a party with her and the mother asked me “can I check whether she’s allowed drink tonight or not? If I don’t ask, she’ll tell me she can”. Of course, I didn’t know what to say. She’s only 16 and it’s against the law. I let her stay at the party anyway, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it.” (Middle Class, South Dublin, Mother) "I rung the others' parents after he came home drunk and they said 'He wasn't in our house', 'Our sons weren't drinking', when I know he was drinking their (i.e. provided by other boys parents) alcohol. I was made to feel like the guilty one.” (Mother of 16-year-old boy, North Dublin) “I don’t think you should treat them as your friends, or as equals. They are children and if you can’t assert your authority you have no control over them. My rules are strict and they must be in at certain times, and that’s earlier than their friends. I feel if I am not strict – and it would be easier not to be – that I can’t reassure myself I am doing the right thing…there is too much relaxation of the standards set in the past”. (Working class mother of 4, North Dublin)

  19. DRUNKENESS • 20% of 12 to 17s have been drunk • Or 31% of the 12 to 17s who have ever drunk alcohol. • More common for boys, in Dublin and Leinster, in urban areas. • 50% of drinking 16 & 17 year olds have been drunk. • 10% of underage drinkers get drunk at least occasionally (or 6% of all 12-17s).

  20. ACCESS TO ALCOHOL

  21. LIKELIHOOD OF DRINKING IN NEXT 2 MONTHS(Base: all 12-17s) AT ALL WITH PARENTAL CONSENT Any consent/ Any at all % Very Likely Quite Likely Any Likelihood Very Likely Quite Likely Any Likelihood Total Sample Boys Girls 12-13 14-15 16-17 Dublin R.Leins Munster Conn/Ulster 81 74 89 93 67 84 75 92 82 63 37 30 39 29 35 31 15 14 30 20 63 53 38 51 33 36 34 28 15 24

  22. EASE OF GETTING & KEY SOURCES OF ALCOHOL X NARROW AGE BANDS Take alcohol from home 54 48 47 39 38 38 35 32 36 32 19 15 13 15 10 Off license 14 9 6 6 9 4 2 1 Nightclub 2 Pub Quite easy to get alcohol Very easy to get alcohol

  23. MOST LIKELY SOURCES OF ALCOHOL Avg No of mentions 2.41 2.42 2.36 1.78 2.30 3.02 2.30 2.41 2.63

  24. PARENTAL DRINKING • Just 1 in 12 live in a home where neither parent drinks. • Most have 2 drinking parents. • 58% live in a home where one/both parents drinks at home. • Direct relationship between parents and children's consumption. • Clearly some may have 'sanction' however.

  25. DRINKING AT HOME BY PARENTS All 12-17s SEX AGE REGION Boys Girls (202) (198) 12-13 14-15 16-17 (123) (137) (140) Dublin (103) Rest Leins. (105) Mun-ster (112) Conn/ Ulster (80) Father only Mother only Both Neither Refused

  26. DRINKING AT HOME BY PARENTS CHILD'S DRINKING All 12-17s Monthly+ (80) Less Often (90) Never (222) (400) Father only Mother only Both Neither Refused

  27. HONESTY • Many children are dishonest about alcohol drinking. • Often their parents were too.

  28. YOUNG PEOPLE'S HONESTY WITH PARENTS(Base: All 12-17s) ABOUT WHETHER THEY DRINK ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY DRINK HONESTY INDEX Boys Girls 12-13 14-15 16-17 Dublin R.Leins Munster Conn/Uls Monthly + drinkers Less frequent drinkers Non drinkers -46 -41 -37 -50 -43 -38 -46 -43 -50 -29 -56 -44 -72 -68 -59 -72 -78 -76 -74 -64 -66 -70 -83 -63 3 6 Generally very honest Generally quite honest Not generally very honest Not generally at all honest Not stated/DK 10 21 34 33 50 38 4 2 Honesty index -44 -70

  29. PARENT/ CHILD RELATIONSHIP • Adolescence more than ever 'an awkward age'. • Enter into 'limbo' quicker. • Boys retain sport for longer. • Children hugely confident: more opportunity. • Huge worries for parents • Bad company. • Dieting, anorexia, etc. • 'Crossing the line'.

  30. PARENT/ CHILD RELATIONSHIP “There is a local curfew now to stop trouble. If they’re caught once they get a warning, the second time they’re driven home and the third time they have to get their parents to pick them up from the Garda station. They think nothing of it, and have no shame at being driven home: in our day if a Garda looked at you, you’d run away”. (Middle class suburb, Rathfarnham, County Dublin) • Parents want open relationship. • But it is much harder to police transgressions.

  31. CULTURAL CONTEXT • Parents behaviour was similar. • Alcohol use (and deception) a cultural phenomenon. • Inherited, repeated. • Kids think it is worse now however.

  32. PREVALENCE OF UNDERAGE DRINKING VERSUS WHEN PARENTS WERE YOUNG CHILD'S DRINKING AGE All 12-17s 12-13 14-15 16-17 Monthly + (20%) Less Often (23%) Don't Drink (56%) Much more common now A little more common now About the same A little less now Much less now Don't Know

  33. RULE SETTING • Parents want to 'be friends' with kids. • Transit from authoritative to permissive style. • Common view: in home, controlled exposure is 'good'. • "Look at the French". • Variability: "Sweet 16 parties", Junior cup matches, family dinners, holidays. • Banning … ostrich principle. • Independent stance … futile.

  34. WHO HAS DISCUSSED ALCOHOL WITH YOU?(Base: All 12-17s) Invited speakers to school (Doctors/ Gardaí) Mother Father Teachers Older siblings Don't know Have not discussed Tried to discuss, not very clear Have talked directly to me

  35. PERCEIVED ATTITUDES OF PARENTS/TEACHERS TO UNDERAGE DRINKING TEACHERS PARENTS VERY OPPOSED VERY OPPOSED Boys Girls 12-13 14-15 16-17 ABC1 C2DE F Dublin R.Leins Munster Conn/Uls Urban Rural 58 64 76 69 39 59 59 74 55 56 59 76 59 64 Boys Girls 12-13 14-15 16-17 ABC1 C2DE F Dublin R.Leins Munster Conn/Uls Urban Rural 52 61 72 62 38 56 58 52 47 60 57 64 57 56 Very much opposed Quite opposed Say they are opposed, not sure believe them Not very opposed Not at all opposed Don't know

  36. PARENTS VIEW OF UNDER 18 ALCOHOL DRINKING X NARROW AGE BANDS PARENTS VIEW OF UNDER 18 ALCOHOL DRINKING X NARROW AGE BANDS TOTAL AGE DRINK ALCOHOL 12 13 14 15 16 17 Mon- thly+ Less often Don't drink I am not to drink alcohol under any circumstances before I am 18 I am occasionally allowed to have a drink at home with my parents permission I am allowed to have a drink in or out of home with my parents permission I don't know what my parents think about alcohol drinking Don't Know/Not stated

  37. ATTITUDE CONTEXT • Underage drinking not always deceitful: may be allowed. • Variability from family to family is undermining. • Many regular underage drinkers feel they should be allowed: their parents are. • 40% of underage drinkers say parental drinking facilitates nicking alcohol (versus 19% for all 12-17s). • Drinking underage boosts confidence.

  38. AFFLUENCE • 90% of fathers and half of mothers work (61% of 16 and 17 year olds' mothers). • Parents spoil their kids. • No relationship between maternal employment and underage drinking. • 43% of 16 & 17 year olds work part time. • Level of working highest among underage drinkers.

  39. PART TIME WORKING AND INCOME Normally work % Work in school hols. % Avg hrs week (current/last job) Avg Earning/wk (current/last job) € €/hour Current Job All 12-17s Boys Girls 12-13 14-15 16-17 Dublin R. Leinster Munster Conn/Ulster Urban Rural Drink Monthly Drink Less Don’t Drink 21 20 22 2 17 41 23 24 16 21 20 22 51 24 9 34 33 34 4 28 65 29 45 30 29 31 37 70 47 16 18 21 15 15* 19* 18 15 22 19 13 17 19 19 19 15 94 103 85 56* 75* 104 100 103 94 64 98 89 114 90 66 5.22 4.91 5.67 3.73* 3.95* 5.37 6.67 4.68 5.05 4.92 5.76 4.68 6.00 4.74 4.40 *Small Base Sizes

  40. RECEIPT OF POCKET MONEY All 12-17s Boys Girls 12-13 14-15 16-17 Drink Monthly + Drink Less Often Don't Drink No Don't know Up to €10 €11-20 Over €20 Average (excl. none) €16.30 16.50 16.10 12.80 15.50 21.30 23.70 18.90 13.40 Average (incl. none) €11.90 12.38 11.43 10.50 11.47 13.63 14.00 14.00 10.50

  41. WEEKLY INCOME & EXPENDITURE SUMMARIES* *Dividing total of pocket money/earnings received by all in each cell (i.e. amount of money remains same, but is spread further)

  42. POPULAR CULTURE, MEDIA & ALCOHOL • Kids watch TV on their own. • Most watch adult programmes. • Most watch satellite/niche programming. • Immersion in lives of celebrities. • Alcohol central to popular culture. • Much more conscious of than advertising.

  43. TV IN OWN ROOM OR NOT? AGE DRINKING Drink Less often Don’t drink Drink Monthly + All 12-17s 12-13 14-15 16-17 IN ROOM Yes No ABC1 C2DE F Dublin R. Leinster Munster Conn/Ulster Urban Rural 57 62 36 66 61 54 45 61 50

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