Adolescent alcohol consumption and the role of family, peers, and school

Alcohol consumption can be a volatile pastime amongst people, but especially among adolescents. The behavior is debilitating and affects the overall well-being of students across varying instances of their daily lives, including their academics and interpersonal relationships. Adolescent alcohol consumption is influenced by internal and external factors, of which the current study focuses on demographic, family, peer, and school factors. A rising need to understand drinking behaviors among Turkish adolescents in the backdrop of the country's religious, political, and economic climate has been identified. As a result, this study focuses on exploring adolescent alcohol consumption in relation to demographic, family, peer, and school variables in Istanbul, Turkey. The sample consists of 751 high school students from private, vocational, and Islamic vocational schools located in Istanbul. Data on their drinking behaviors were collected by implementing a survey designed for this purpose by the Bağcılar research institute. This data was then used in the study to explore the roles of demographic, family, peer, and school variables on adolescent alcohol consumption. A chi-square test of independence and Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted. The results revealed that variables like the area of residence, household income, parental marital status, mother's level of education and work status, family's alcohol use (mother, father, siblings), peer alcohol use, types of school, and school attendance were significantly associated with adolescent alcohol consumption in a Turkish sample. Furthermore, it was revealed that in the current sample being male, 18 years of age, and residing in Bağcılar, and having educated mothers, mothers working as laborers, working or retired fathers, and alcohol using family members (father and siblings) predicted alcohol use. These findings indicate the importance of external and environmental factors in influencing adolescent consumption of alcohol. The study also touches upon the potential role that religion plays in curbing alcohol initiation and consumption among the Turkish adolescent population. Keywords: Adolescent Alcohol Consumption, Environmental Influence, Family Alcohol Use, Peer Influence, School Type and Alcohol Use, Alcohol Use in High Schools