Youths living in permissive households are more likely to drink heavily than those from nonpermissive households, according to a longitudinal survey of youth attending South Dakota schools.

Overall, 10% of youths lived in a permissive household and 10% lived in a nonpermissive household, based on the youths' reports of whether their parents would be upset if they drank or used marijuana, kept track of their whereabouts, or set curfews.

Three-quarters (76%) of youths from permissive households reported heavy drinking in 9th grade, compared to only 8% of youths living in nonpermissive households. Similar results were found for heavy drinking in 11th grade.

Youths from permissive households were also more likely to have other high risk factors, such as a higher rate of drinking by their best friend and the adult who was most important to them, a greater belief that occasional alcohol use was not harmful, and being less likely to believe that they might become dependent on alcohol if they drank every weekend.

These findings suggest that in addition to educating parents about the need for appropriate monitoring of youths' behavior, alcohol prevention programs that "target pro-drinking peer and adult influences, positive attitudes toward drinking, and resistance self-efficacy may be particularly important in deterring heavy drinking among adolescents living in permissive households."

For details, including data charts, source information and caveats, download the CESAR Fax PDF.

Reprinted from CESAR Fax, a weekly, one-page overview of timely substance abuse trends or issues, from the Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) at the University of Maryland.