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Thomas S. May, M.A.Medical Writer |
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Preventing Teen Drug Abuse: What Can Parents Do?
Thomas S. May, Medical Writer
Drug abuse is a pervasive problem that causes tremendous suffering, both in terms of its effects on a person's health and in terms of its financial costs for society as a whole. The abuse of illegal drugs and alcohol is a major contributor to a large number of illnesses, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. In addition, drug abuse often results in death or disability by contributing to accidents and acts of violence.
Most people who abuse drugs start doing so in their teenage years, while they are still living at home with their parents. Therefore, parents have a unique opportunity--and responsibility--to try to prevent their children from abusing drugs. Studies show that adults who don't start using drugs before age 21 are virtually certain not to abuse drugs during their later years. On the other hand, people who start using drugs during adolescence are at increased risk of becoming addicted to them.
Who is at Risk?
"Although all children and teens are at risk for drug use, some are at greater risk than others," says Carol Loveland-Cherry, PhD, associate dean at University of Michigan's School of Nursing. Drug use by family members, lack of a nurturing, supportive family environment, and a lack of clear and consistently enforced rules are among the risk factors, she explains.
Early problem behavior is also predictive of later drug abuse, according to Anthony Biglan, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Oregon Research Institute in Eugene, Oregon. "There appears to be a subgroup [of children] that are more likely than most kids to get into drug use and abuse. One of the most important risk factors is an early history of aggressive social behavior," Dr. Biglan says.
"Young children who engage in high levels of aggressive and disruptive behavior are likely to continue this behavior in the absence of some sort of school-based or family-focused intervention. Such children often do poorly in school and tend to become friends with other young people who engage in disruptive or risky behaviors. It is in this context, that young people begin using tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs," Dr. Biglan explains.
Can Parents Help?
Is there anything parents can do to prevent their children from abusing drugs? There is, according to some recent research.
Several studies have shown that family interventions can play a significant role in reducing the risk factors associated with drug use, says David Hawkins, PhD, director of the Social Development Research Group at University of Washington in Seattle.
"The first thing that parents can do is to be very clear about what their standards are, and if they want to reduce the risk they should encourage their children to delay the use of alcohol until they are of legal drinking age," Dr. Hawkins argues. "Just being clear about your standards as a parent and communicating those explicitly to your child is a very important thing to do during adolescence, he adds.
Don't Just Say No
Although setting clear standards and establishing limits are crucial for preventing teen drug abuse, there are many other things parents can do as well, according to Dr. Hawkins. "We also know that good family management practices are very important," he says.
"When parents set clear expectations, when they monitor their children, and when they are consistent and moderate in their discipline, that good family management is associated with a reduced risk for an initiation of drug use."
In a recent study done by Dr. Hawkins and his colleagues at the University of Washington, the researchers found that good family management reduced the likelihood that teenagers would start using alcohol and marijuana.
According to Dr. Hawkins, good family management includes:
"You should also recognize and reward positive behavior," Dr. Hawkins says.
Not Even a Drop?
Many people believe that allowing older adolescents to drink small amounts of alcohol in the home--with their parents present--may teach them to drink in controlled ways, and prohibiting it entirely may result in their learning to binge drink through their drinking bouts with friends. However, most experts disagree with this position.
For example, Dr. Hawkins says that the earlier children begin to drink the greater is the risk that they will misuse alcohol. Harold Holder, PhD, director of the Prevention Research Center in Berkeley, California, concurs: "Some parents believe that providing alcohol to adolescents (for example via 'keg parties' in which the parents are present) is good," he says.
"However, there is clear evidence that this encourages heavy consumption and communicates the acceptability of drinking to adolescents--even though the laws of all states specify 21 years [as the minimum legal drinking age]. It also increases the availability of alcohol to kids, and increasing the availability of alcohol to adolescents increases the risk of heavy drinking, drinking problems, and drinking-related harm," Dr. Holder argues.
He also points out that "not only are parents liable
if adolescents (other than their own children) are given alcohol, they are
also in violation of all [US] state laws. Alcohol is not like milk or
soda."
Sidebar:
Alcohol and Teens: What are the Dangers?*
• Alcohol-related traffic accidents are a major cause of death and disability among teens. Alcohol use is also linked with youthful deaths by drowning, fire, suicide, and homicide.
• Teens who use alcohol are more likely to become sexually active at earlier ages, to have sexual intercourse more often, and to have unprotected sex than teens who do not drink.
• Young people who drink are more likely than others to be victims of violent crime, including rape, aggravated assault, and robbery.
• Teens who drink are more likely to have problems with school work and school conduct.
• An individual who begins drinking as a young teen is four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than someone who waits until adulthood to use alcohol.
*Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
For further information, visit the following Web sites:
http://www.drugfreeamerica.org/
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