Youth, Alcohol, and Social Policy

by Howard T. Blane, Morris E. Chafetz

Overview

Anxiety about "alcohol and youth" has been excited by shocking events and reports. Events are exemplified by multiple deaths of adolescents in automobile crashes after drinking parties. Reports are exemplified by the conclusion, from a national survey, that more than one fourth of youngsters aged 13 to 18 are already problem drinkers. Response provoked by these events and reports has taken the form of proposed or enacted legislation in several states to raise the so-called legal drinking age from 18 to 19, or 20, or 21. The confusion around the alcohol-and-youth problem is manifest in the fact that no one can be sure that raising the legal drinking age will make any difference. The legislation may be tilting at windmills; and it is doubtful even that the windmills exist. (But the legislative windmills are whirling.) The confusion is clearly manifest in the fact that the legal­ drinking-age legislation does not deal with a drinking age.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781468485400
Publisher:	Springer US
Publication date:	06/02/2012
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1979
Pages:	450
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.04(d)

Table of Contents

I • Epidemiology of Drinking Practices among Adolescents and Young Adults.- 1 Middle-Aged Alcoholics and Young Drinkers.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Two Alcohol Problem Populations.- 2.1. Alcoholics.- 2.2. Frequent Heavy Drinkers.- 3. Problem Rates in Young Adulthood and Middle Age.- 3.1. Problems Directly Attributable to Alcohol.- 3.2. Problems Indirectly Attributable to Alcohol.- 3.3. Do Frequent Heavy Drinkers Become Alcoholics?.- 4. Social Considerations and Policy Implications.- 5. Summary and Conclusions.- References.- 2 Patterns of Alcohol Consumption among the Young: High School, College, and General Population Studies.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Use of Alcohol among High School Students.- 2.1. Method.- 2.2. Results.- 3. Use of Alcohol among College Students.- 3.1. Method.- 3.2. Results.- 4. Use of Alcohol among Young Adults.- 4.1. Method.- 4.2. Results.- 5. Conclusions.- References.- 3 Alcohol Problems among Civilian Youth and Military Personnel.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Multiplicity of Alcohol Problems.- 3. Alcohol Consumption Patterns.- 4. Adverse Consequences of Alcohol Consumption.- 5. Alcohol Problems in Civilian and Military Contexts.- 6. Implication for Research and Policy.- References.- II • Theoretical Models of Drinking among Adolescents and Young Adults.- 4 Developmental Aspects of Drinking through the Young Adult Years.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Some Conceptual Distinctions.- 2.1. Issues of Continuity-Discontinuity in Developmental Processes.- 2.2. Issues of Behavioral Focus.- 2.3. Drinking-Specific versus Nondrinking-Specific Theories.- 2.4. Psychopharmacology and Developmental Explanations of Drinking Behavior.- 2.5. Variance.- 3. An Organizational Framework for Developmental Processes Related to the Acquisition and Maintenance of Drinking Behavior.- 4. Developmental Aspects of Drinking from Birth through the Young Adult Years.- 4.1. Introduction.- 4.2. Conception through Early Childhood.- 4.3. Middle Childhood through Adolescence.- 4.4. Into Young Adulthood and Beyond.- 5. Developmental Processes and Continuity-Discontinuity: Some Issues.- 5.1. Developmental Notions of Stages and Their Relevance to Continuity-Discontinuity Issues.- 5.2. Developmental and Nondevelopmental Typologies of Problem Drinking (Alcoholism) in Adulthood.- 5.3. Sex Differences and Developmental Course.- 6. Summary.- References.- 5 Ecological Factors in Drinking.- 1. Introduction.- 1.1. Case Histories.- 1.2. Synopsis.- 1.3. Perspectives on Drinking.- 2. The Objective Environment.- 2.1. Ecology and Alcohol.- 2.2. Ecology and Drinking.- 3. The Perceived Environment.- 4. Behavior Settings.- 5. Ecological Indicators.- 5.1. Adolescents.- 5.2. A Developmental Perspective.- 5.3. Young Adults.- 5.4. Ecology and Drinking.- 6. Ecology in Perspective.- References.- 6 Sex Roles and Adolescent Drinking.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Sex Roles and Male Adolescent Drinking.- 3. Sex Roles and Female Adolescent Drinking.- 4. Some Current Research on Sex Roles and Adolescent Drinking.- 4.1. Methods.- 4.2. Results.- 4.3. Discussion.- 5. Conclusions.- References.- III • Public Policy Implications of Drinking Problems among Youth.- 7 Priorities in Minimizing Alcohol Problems among Young People.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Public Policy Considerations.- 2.1. Models of Prevention.- 2.2. The Distribution Model: Reducing Per Capita Consumption.- 2.3. Sociocultural Approaches: Modifying Drinking Norms.- 2.4. Drinking-Age Laws.- 3. Alcohol Education in the Mass Media and Schools.- 3.1. Mass Media Programs.- 3.2. School-Related Alcohol Education.- 4. Advertising.- 5. Other Policy Activities Related to Youthful Drinking.- 6. Treatment of Youthful Alcohol Problems: Secondary and Tertiary Prevention.- 7. The Balance between Treatment and Preventive Priorities.- 8. Summary and Conclusions.- References.- 8 The Impact of Sociopolitical Systems on Teenage Alcohol Abuse.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Alienation.- 3. Availability of Alcoholic Beverages.- 4. The Drinking-Age Debate.- 5. Conclusion.- References.- 9 Toward National Policy for Health Education.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Empirical Approach to Policy.- 3. Policy Issue No. 1: The Level of Investment.- 4. Policy Issue No. 2: How Should the Investment in Health Education Be Channeled?.- 5. Policy Issue No. 3: For What Purposes Should Health Education Be Given Priority?.- 6. Policy Issue No. 4: By What Means of Influence?.- 7. Toward a More Empirical Health Education.- 8. The Needs for Research in Health Education.- 9. The Policy Issues for Research Training.- 10. Recommendations.- 10.1. Strengthening the Weak Links.- 10.2. Filling the Gaps.- 10.3. Extending the Centers of Excellence.- 11. Summary and Conclusions.- References.- IV • Strategies for Reducing Drinking Problems among Youth.- 10 Strategies for Reducing Drinking Problems among Youth: College Programs.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Need for College Programs.- 3. The Goals of Various Programs.- 3.1. Assumptions.- 3.2. Aims.- 3.3. Approaches.- 3.4. Illustrative Examples.- 4. The Educational Models and Techniques Employed.- 4.1. Theoretical Models.- 4.2. Educational Techniques.- 5. Examples of Various College Programs.- 5.1. Methods Focused on Individuals and Groups.- 5.2. Methods Focused on Organizations and the Institution.- 6. Evaluation of College Programs.- 6.1. Effort.- 6.2. Process.- 6.3. Effect.- 7. Summary and Conclusions.- References.- 11 U.S. Military Alcohol Abuse Prevention and Rehabilitation Programs.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Nature of the Prevention Challenge.- 2.1. Size of the Military Services.- 2.2. Distribution of the Military Services.- 2.3. The Challenge.- 3. The Military Programs.- 3.1. The Office of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention.- 3.2. The Army Alcohol Abuse Prevention and Control Program.- 3.3. The Navy Alcoholism Prevention Program.- 3.4. The Air Force Alcohol Abuse Control Program.- 4. Summary and Conclusions.- References.- 12 Behavioral Strategies for Reducing Drinking among Young Adults.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Behavioral Formulation of Alcohol Abuse.- 3. Modifying Drinking Skills.- 3.1. Components of Responsible Drinking Skills.- 3.2. A Skills-Training Approach.- 3.3. Operant Approaches.- 3.4. Blood-Alcohol Discrimination Training.- 3.5. Aversive Procedures.- 4. Developing Healthier Habits.- 4.1. Relaxation and Meditation.- 4.2. Assertiveness Training.- 4.3. Exercise and Physical Activity.- 4.4. Self-Management Skills.- 5. Comprehensive Programs.- 6. Conclusions.- References.