The Impact of Exposure and Perceived Disapproval of Underage Drinking

The impact of adolescents' exposure to alcohol use and perceived disapproval of underage drinking on age of first alcohol use and subsequent frequency and level of alcohol use is examined using data from a cross-sectional, nationally representative sample. All respondents ages 12-20 were selected for analysis. Higher levels of exposure and lower levels of perceived disapproval were associated with lower age of onset, greater frequency of alcohol use, and higher levels of alcohol use among adolescents. Furthermore, the average age of onset of alcohol use for the entire sample was 13.8 years. These findings suggest that alcohol prevention should begin at a young age and should include educating parents and community members about the impact of their attitudes and behaviors toward alcohol use, as well as more traditional efforts, which concentrate on preventing alcohol use by targeting relationships with peers and friends.