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Teens, Alcohol and Parenting Style
Researchers have some good news and some bad news for parents who are concerned about underage drinking. The bad news is that despite your warnings, your kids are probably going to try alcohol at some point. The good news is that depending upon your parenting style, you may have some sway when it comes to how much they drink.
Experts have identified three main parenting styles: Authoritarian, where parents strive to always be in control of their child’s behavior and tend to exhibit little warmth toward their kids. Permissive parents have few rules and boundaries and are generally warm and accepting of their child’s behavior – good or bad. Authoritative parents provide clear expectations and consequences but are also warm and communicative with their children.
According to researchers from Brigham Young University, of the three parenting styles, Authoritative has the best results when it comes to preventing kids from drinking heavily.
In surveys of 5,000 kids between the ages of 12 and 19, those with Authoritarian parents were found to be twice as likely to participate in heavy drinking while kids with Permissive parents were three times as likely to overdo it. But those with Authoritative parents – rating high on accountability and warmth -were less prone to be involved in heavy drinking.
Study co-author John Hoffman says the survey results highlight the importance of finding balance in your parenting style.
“Realize you need to have both accountability and support in your relationship with your adolescent. Make sure that it’s not just about controlling their behavior — you need to combine knowing how they spend their time away from home with a warm, loving relationship.”
Another finding of note: The parental voice of reason was found to be strongest in kids from religious backgrounds who were found to be “significantly” less likely to drink at all.
Since parenting style will obviously impact a child’s development and behavior, it’s really no surprise to find that it plays a part in determining which kids will overindulge in drinking and which kids won’t. But what is interesting is that those kids who were raised in families high on accountability and warmth tended to associate with other children who were raised the same way. And with that positive peer support, these kids were better equipped to avoid the pressure to overdo alcohol.
Image: Looking Glass/Flickr
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[...] Teens, Alcohol and Parenting Style [...]
Cell Phone Towers Not a Cancer Risk for Unborn Children | Strollerderby commented on Jun 25 10 at 3:02 pm[...] you an authoritative parent? If so, your teens might make wise drinking decisions. Authoritarian and permissive? Maybe not so [...]
PlanetKid » Internet Safety and Peeing Preference: Friday Finds commented on Jul 09 10 at 12:04 am[...] you an authoritative parent? If so, your teens might make wise drinking decisions. Authoritarian and permissive? Maybe not so [...]
Internet Safety and Peeing Preference: Friday Finds « Child Care Directory commented on Jul 09 10 at 11:57 amOvertheFence commented on Jun 25 10 at 2:47 pmHmm. I wonder how they classified parenting style. It sounds like they asked the kids, not the parents. Isn’t it possible that kids who drink viewed their parents as less “warm?” And that those who were more goody-two-shoe-ish were more likely to say their parents were “warm but set limits.” Basically, said nice things about them? I’m not sure there is enough here to know which is the cause and which is the effect. In general, I tend to think we as parents have less control over our kids’ behavior than we think we do, so I’m always skeptical of studies like this. I think a kid who is doing well in life and not in a lot of trouble tends to describe their parents as better than a kid who is in a mess of trouble, who is looking for someone to blame. I know because I’ve seen siblings in the same family describe totally different sets of parents!
anon commented on Jun 25 10 at 4:17 pmThey probably asked specific questions from which the researchers determined the parenting category. It’s not surprising that the “Authoritative” style would be described as most successful. These are commonly broken out styles and it’s clear that “Authoritative” is the “best”. It just seems to be the most reasonable, doesn’t it?
Don commented on Jun 26 10 at 3:40 amHmmm… Brigham Young University… research not entirely independent then. Understand this is a Mormon-run uni (and hence anti-alcohol) – or at least one which receives children from Mormon families predominantly. Not that I disagree with the opinions expressed, not at all. What I seek is absolute truth, impartial studies, etc. from which to produce recommendations incapapable of being doubted. Godly Authoritative control is perhaps what the entire world is in need of right now but often subsequent generations rebel as a consequence of such within family situations – rejecting even the the warmth and accountability later in life. The real problem is money itself which fuels irresponsibile conduct everywhere.
anon commented on Jun 28 10 at 2:57 pm“What I seek is absolute truth, impartial studies, etc. from which to produce recommendations incapapable of being doubted.” Good luck…that does not exist, my friend. Aside from that, your interpretation of “Authoritative” misses something, it seems…the “Authoritarian” would probably be more in line with the sort of stereotyping you’re putting on the researchers…
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