Coping strategies of adolescents in high-risk drinking situations

The present thesis examined the coping strategies employed by adolescents in high-risk drinking situations. Adolescent drinking practices are affected by influences from four main sources. They are as follows: Culture, Family, Peer and Self. The present paper examined the different responses of adolescents when faced with influences from these sources. Eighty male adolescents (aged 13-17 years) were drawn from two populations, Christian based youth groups and State League Football Clubs. They were asked to describe the two most recent high-risk drinking situations they had experienced, that is, a situation in which they did not want to drink alcohol but were most tempted to do so. The subjects were asked to recall their cognitions and behaviours throughout each situation. From the situation descriptions, the physical and social characteristics were examined. Utilisation of different coping strategies were then compared across different social and physical settings. Seventeen coping strategies were identified that were extensively used by male adolescents. An examination of the utilisation profiles for each strategy demonstrated that the employment of different strategies was affected by the social setting, the proportion of friends drinking, and offers of alcohol. Strategies employed in situations involving high levels of stress were aimed at removing the pressures acting upon them (problem-focused coping)