Researchers say that a child’s future alcohol use may be directly influenced by their mother’s positive or negative expectations about their alcohol consumption, UPI reported Sept.19.

Iowa State University researchers examined data from interviews with 800 mothers and their children ages 3 to 5. The study showed that a mother’s expectation that her child would or would not drink altered the child’s sense of self and influenced future behavior.

"What people believe has an impact on what occurs," said Stephanie Madon, lead author of the study. "When we believe [something is] true, we act as though it is. And sometimes when you act as though something’s true, your behaviors will cause the belief to become true."

The research was published in the August 2008 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.