A new online survey conducted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has found that teenagers are less likely to engage in underage drinking if their parents send messages that this kind of behavior is not acceptable. MADD received 663 responses from U.S. high school students and found that for those teenagers whose parents believed underage drinking to be unacceptable, only 8 percent had consumed alcohol.
The survey — which was given as part of Alcohol Awareness Month — also found that of those students whose parents were only mildly opposed to underage drinking, or found it to be acceptable at times, 42 percent had engaged in the activity.
The placement of Alcohol Awareness Month in April is strategic, as this is the time of year when high school seniors are to begin getting ready for prom and other end-of-year events. These situations typically put them in a position where they are pressured into consuming alcohol.
"Decades of research show that there is no safe way to 'teach' teens how to drink responsibly," Robert Turrisi, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, stated in a MADD news release. "A clear no-use message is the most effective way for parents to help keep teens safe from the many dangers associated with underage alcohol use. This issue is too important to leave to chance and hope for the best."
If your child is struggling with alcohol addiction, it's critical that they avail themselves of help from drug and alcohol treatment centers that are equipped with the personnel to help them recover. At Fairwinds Treatment Center, we specialize in providing dual diagnosis services that aim to treat not just the addiction, but the underlying psychological conditions that are leading a patient toward addiction. For more information, contact us today!
