Citation

Maggs JL, Staff JA. J. Adolesc. Health 2018; 62(2): 245-247.

Affiliation

Sociology and Criminology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.09.016

PMID

29254647

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.

Copyright © 2017 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescent; Alcohol drinking; Alcoholic beverages; Child; Longitudinal studies; Parents; Permissiveness; Prevalence; Social class; Underage drinking