NCJ Number
172904
Journal
Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: 1998 Pages: 31-55
Date Published
1998
Length
25 pages
Annotation
A total of 640 students, 286 male and 354 female, were randomly selected from five primary schools and five high schools in Perth, Australia, to participate in this study of children and adolescent views pertaining to knowledge and awareness of alcohol and alcohol-related issues.
Abstract
Data were obtained using the "Which Group" picture booklet questionnaire containing five parts and illustrations drawn by a professional children's artist to gather information about children and adolescent orientations toward alcohol risk social situations, reputation enhancement, self-concept, and other related issues. Of the sample, 73 percent of males and 70.6 percent of females had tried alcohol, with beer being consumed most often. Significantly more participants in higher year levels had tried alcohol. More than 90 percent said they drank at a party. Multivariate analysis revealed 9 of 11 dependent variables contributed to the significant main effect of alcohol risk group, of which 3 were self-concept variables and 6 were reputation enhancement variables. It appeared that individuals with the highest levels of orientation to alcohol risk believed they were liked by their families, were physically attractive, and had greater confidence in themselves. They also had higher levels of admiration of alcohol-related and prosocial activities. While striving to attain a nonconforming reputation, these individuals also wished to be ideally perceived by others as conforming. Gender and age differences in the study findings are discussed. 19 references, 7 tables, and 1 figure