Parenting style can influence teens' alcohol consumption, report concludes

By Staff Writer

A new report from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden states that parental involvement may be the most effective way to keep problem teens from abusing alcohol.

The study is based on an examination of 1,200 young people between the ages of 13 and 19 from 2001 and 2006. Researchers found that teen boys who were monitored closely by their parents were significantly less likely to drink, while girls who had an emotionally stable parent-child relationship had reduced rates of binge drinking.

These findings indicate that discipline, or tough love, is an effective tool in helping male adolescents avoid alcohol consumption. Girls, on the other hand, benefit from a close relationship with their parents that involves honesty and open communication.

The author of the report emphasized that children who exhibit negative behaviors such as smoking cigarettes or hanging out with problem teens should be approached by their parents as soon as possible. Young people who develop these habits during early adolescence are at greater risk of binge drinking in the future.

Teens who engage in risky behavior may benefit from wilderness therapy programs.