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Paper Abstract: Incidence, causes, motivations, effects, theories & methods of control & treatment. Paper Introduction: TEENAGED DRINKING Introduction This research examines the phenomenon of teenaged drinking in the contemporary United States. The goal of this examination is the identification of an approach to the issue that will be effective in reducing the frequency and severity of social problems associated with teenaged drinking. The Teenaged Drinking Phenomenon While fewer teenagers are consuming alcohol in the mid-1990s than was the case five years earlier, contemporary teenagers are initiating drinking behaviors earlier than past generations (Fertman, 1995, pp. 42-44; Meilman, 1190, pp. 389-395). Recent surveys indicate that two-thirds of 13 year olds in the United States have tried alcohol (Fertman, pp. 42-44). Various surveys indicat Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. The highs and lows of teen drinking. Invalid perceptionsrelated to the association between alcohol consumption and sexual desire,however, provide a basis for many persons in American society to excuse thesocially unacceptable behaviors of sexual aggressors. A. FBILaw Enforcement Bulletin, 62(7), 12-15. Kline, R. 139-149). (199 , November). 378-391) found that the strength of such perceptionsincreased as a dating situation in which the female consumed alcohollengthened in time. AIDS education for drug users. 1389-1394). Varioussurveys indicate that the proportion of regular users of alcohol amongAmerican teenagers is in the range of 24-to-6 percent, while from 12-to-43percent of teenagers participate in drinking binges (Tobacco, alcohol,1992, pp. George, W. In thesestudies, it was found that those individuals with an external locus ofcontrol are more prone to chemical substance abuse than are individualswith an internal locus of control. Journal ofPersonality and Social Psychology, 58, 528-537. 42-44; Meilman,119 , pp. Other researchers have theorized that the use ofchemical substances is related to the basic characteristics of security andanxiety which are present within a society (Alexander, pp. Jenkins, S. Addiction is a widely used and misused term. Blume, S. Sexuality and stigma. The consumption of alcohol is widely linked in American society withhighly valued social attributes (Grube, 1993, pp. Thrill-seeking ,immediate gratification, and impulsivity heldexplain alcohol consumption among teenagers. (199 , June). Recent research indicates that the most successful programs dealingwith alcohol abuse are based on social learning theory (Kline & Canter,1994, pp. Nurco, D. R. Rose, C. 1841-1842). (199 ). Outcomes Associated With Teenage Drinking The effects of alcohol on humans is known to vary from person toperson, as well as on the same person at different times and underdifferent circumstances (DiSimone, Murray, & Lester, 1994, pp. 37). 527-532). Drinking in college. Kivlahan, D. 39-46). E., & Christiansen, B. (199 ). NewYork: William Morrow and Co. Health Values, 13(5), 8-13. Alcohol Health & Research World,15(2), 133-138. Perhaps the most well known of the group psychotherapies for thetreatment of alcohol abuse are the treatment programs of AlcoholicsAnonymous. A., Botvin, G. 133-138). Behavioral addictions.British Journal of Addiction, 85(11), 1389-1394. Journal of Studies onAlcohol, 51, 536-41. C. 527-532). The desire to escape responsibility is also an integral component oftheories developed by Rotter and others in the 196 s and the 197 s, whichhold that psychological locus of control is closely related to thedevelopment of chemical substance abuse (Alexander, pp. (1995, March). Personality & SocialPsychology Bulletin, 16(2), 378-391. Educational status and drinking patterns: Howrepresentative are college students? E. Successful treatment programsbased on social learning theory have several features in common. Authoritystructures in such programs clearly identify rules and sanctions, socialmodeling, pro-social behaviors, pragmatic problem-solving assistance, andopen communications between participants and counselors. The Teenaged Drinking Phenomenon While fewer teenagers are consuming alcohol in the mid-199 s than wasthe case five years earlier, contemporary teenagers are initiating drinkingbehaviors earlier than past generations (Fertman, 1995, pp. W. Journal ofStudies on Alcohol, 51, 542-547. InternationalJournal of the Addictions, 25(9, 1 ), 1179-12 . Journal of Studieson Alcohol, 56(1), 39-46. Approaches For the Control of Drinking Among Teenagers The functions served by alcohol are different in different cultures(Fugita & Crittenden, 199 , pp. (1991). O'Hare, T. (1991, February). Journalof Drug Issues, 22(1), 1-16. Some of the theories apply to some individuals in somecircumstances, while they do not apply to other individuals or even to thesame individuals in other circumstances (Pardeck, 1991, pp. The role of social factors and individual characteristics inpromoting alcohol use among inner-city minority youths. In the United States as an example, women wereonce barred from entry into Alcoholics Anonymous on the ground that "nicewomen were not supposed to be drunks" (Robertson, 1988, p. W. Psychologically, however, perceptionspersist that associate alcohol consumption with increased sexual arousal.At issue are the social and psychological processes that are at work in theperpetuation of myth in the face of physical reality. 42-44). Journal of Drug Education,24(2), 139-149. 32-4 ). These stereotypes have a long history. (199 ). P. M., First, M.,Frances, A., & Jaffe, J. (1995,Winter). E., & Hanlon, T. 7-11) found that male students perceivedfemale college students who consumed alcohol as being more physicallyattractive than female students who did not consume alcohol. Alcohol Health & Research World, 17(1), 61-66. Getting better: Inside Alcoholics Anonymous. 144-15 ). Towards culture- andpopulation-specific norms for self-reported depressive symptomatology.International Journal of Social Psychology, 36, 83-92. The divergence ofactual behaviors and expected behaviors frequently contributes to thedevelopment of undesirable social outcomes (Garcia & Kushnier, 1987, pp.252-256). Alcohol Health & ResearchWorld, 15(2), 139-146. (1991).Aftercare/relapse prevention and the self-help movement. A similar relationshiphas not been found to exist among teenaged females. When the effects of alcoholism go untreated, the situation invariablyworsens (Kivlahan, 199 , pp. (1992, 14 October). Studies have attested to the presence in society of widespread beliefsthat alcohol provokes and heightens sexual responsiveness (George & Norris,p. J. Scientifically, however, drug addiction is a behavioralpattern of drug use that is characterized by an overwhelming, compulsiveinvolvement with the use of a drug and the securing of a supply of a drug,and a high probability of relapse following withdrawal from use of a drug(Rawson, Obert, McCann, & Marinelli-Casey, 1993, pp. 38-46). 528-537). Corcoran and Bell (199 , pp. The belief that alcoholism is a moral issue rather than a disease hasprevented many black families from seeking professional help. 389-395). The relationship betweenheavy metal and rap music and adolescent turmoil. K., Pfefferbaum, B., & Arneklev, B. 1 -16). Journalof Abnormal Psychology, 1 4(1), 32-4 . 141).Many, perhaps majority, of men in American society view alcohol consumptionby a woman as an exploitable weakness. 135-137) also reported that alcohol disinhibitssexual behavior in both males and females, and that the disinhibitioneffect increases as the consumption of alcohol increases. 1179-12 ). (199 ). (1989, September-October).Relapse prevention. The actual relationship between alcohol consumption and sexualbehavior, however, is far more complex than the widespread, simplisticbelief. While this finding is interesting, no causalattributions may be based on the data presented. Secretiveness is the first behavioral change in an alcohol usingteenager that typically is noticed by family and friends of the user(Longshore, 1992, pp. Therefore, the approaches to thecontrol of alcohol use by teenagers tends to differ by culture. Teenage drinking in rural America. J. (199 ). The respect for elders which is traditional in Hispanic familiescauses it to be difficult to break the shroud of secrecy and denial thattypically cloaks alcoholism in the family (Fugita & Crittenden, pp. 139-146). A program of thistype has achieved success in Glendive, Montana (Williamson, 1993, pp. Grube, J. P., Miele, G. Secondary prevention with college drinkers.Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 58, 8 5-81 . Theforegoing examples illustrate the need to understand the cultural valuesembraced by a family as a basis for understanding how to provide servicesfor the family. Smith, G. (1993). Perceptions ofthe expected behaviors of individuals consuming alcohol tend to varyaccording to the gender of the individual whose behaviors are subjected tospeculation (Blume, 1991, p. Adolescence, 29(115), 613-621. 139). Epstein, J. Relapse prevention strategies in outpatient substance abusetreatment. In theseinstances, external assistance is required. DiSimone, A., Murray, P., & Lester, D. (1993, Spring). H. B. 8-13). Robertson, N. 536-541). Causes Of And Motivations For Alcohol Consumption By Teenagers There are four general groups of theories explaining the developmentof alcohol abuse behavior--(1) learning theories-- holding that personslearn to use alcohol as a means of coping, and that the use eventuallybecomes addictive, (2) physiological theories--holding variously thatnutritional deficiencies and genetics lead to alcoholism, (3)psychoanalytic theories-- holding variously that childhood experiences,self-destructive drives, feelings of inferiority and insecurity, and locusof control orientations lead to alcoholism, and (4) sociological theories--holding that societal conditions lead some individuals into alcoholism(Jenkins, 199 , pp. B., Cochran, J. Alcoholism is oftenperceived by these families as a punishment inflicted by supernaturalforces for wrongdoing by the alcoholic. 39-46).Most teenagers, however, are not equipped to deal completely on their ownwith the problems of alcohol (Pennebacker, 199 , pp. Tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use among high school students--United States. Another group therapy approach involves holistic family therapy, inwhich an entire family is viewed as a patient since a recovered substanceabuser often returns home to a family that remembers the individual as heor she was when using drugs, and has already adapted itself to a level ofindependence from the recovered substance abuser (Nurco, Stephenson, &Hanlon, 1991, pp. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 52, 1 -16. Alcohol use by teenagers is associated with aggressive behavior amongmales (White, Hansell, & Brick, 1993, pp. Alcohol use,self-esteem, depression, and suicidality in high school students.Adolescence, 29(116), 939-942. Teenagers also are motivated to drink through an expectancy thatsocial facilitation will be derived from the consumption of alcohol (Smith,Goldman, Greenbaum, & Christiansen, 1995, pp. B., & Canter, W. T., Goldman, M. J., & Marinelli-Casey, P.(1993, June). S. Manysocieties continue to establish different rules based on gender for theconsumption of alcohol in perpetuation of a widely-held belief that alcoholconsumption by women leads to promiscuousness. (1988). M., Tilly, S. Recent surveys indicate that two-thirds of 13 yearolds in the United States have tried alcohol (Fertman, pp. Williamson, E. Among teenagers, alcohol consumption has been linked to sensation-seeking behavior (Wood, Cochran, Pfefferbaum, & Arneklev, 1995, pp. Family background of alcohol abuse and itsrelationship to alcohol consumption among college students. Thedevelopment of approaches to the control of alcohol use by teenagers,therefore, requires an understanding of the political, social, and economicvalues embraced by the cultural group of which a teenager is a part.Native American families, as an example, often view alcoholism as adisorder of the spirit, not a physical disorder. (1991). 133-138) found that it was not necessary foractual alcohol consumption to occur for the stereotypical perceptionsrelated to the consumption of alcohol to occur. Thus,frequently even after achieving a state of abstinence, former users findeveryday life extremely difficult and tend to suffer from both self-contempt and hopelessness. D. Mostapproaches to dealing with the program have proved to be ineffective. (1987, May). 8 5-81 ). (1994, Fall). 939-942).Among the many effects that may be experienced are decreased cognitiveperformance, loss of control, serious social problems and anxieties, and avariety of psychological problems, including depression. Perceptual stereotypes associated with alcohol and behavior differ bygender (Blume, p. This view makes alcoholismdifficult to identify as a disease and treat effectively (Epstein, Botvin,Diaz, & Schinkle, 1995, pp. Fugita, S. Rawson, R. In this same context, it was foundamong young people that the emergence of psychological autonomy isindicated by a strong relationship of self-standards to problem behavior.In the development of standards for chemical substance use, young peopletend to experience problems only in relation to the perceived norms oftheir close friends. Other societies promulgategender-based rules for the consumption of alcohol based on a belief thatwomen should adhere to a higher moral code than that required of the malemembers of the society. References Alexander, B. A.(1995, February). M. Journal of the American MedicalAssociation, 268, 1841-1842. Can education program affectteenage drinking? 133). 331-336). The objective of treatmentprograms based on this theory is to replace deviant behavior with pro-social behaviors through a learning process. Expectancy for social facilitation from drinking. Gladue andDelaney (199 , pp. According to the national Institute on Alcohol Abuseand Alcoholism, 2 percent of American teenagers are problem drinkers(Alexander, 1991, pp. Criteria based on the cultural values of a singlepopulation group are not effective for all families (Fugita & Crittenden,pp. (1994). These findingsare diametrically opposed to the widely held social perceptions related tothe consumption of alcohol and sexual behavior. All of these theories have some degree ofvalidity. The mean amount of alcohol consumed per drinkingoccasion is also higher among males than females (Crowley, 1991, pp. J. M., Eddy, J. AmericanFamily Physician, 43(2), 527-532. Conclusion Teenaged drinking is a major contemporary social phenomenon in theUnited States that is associated with the destabilization of society. Marks, I., Bradley, B. George and Norris (pp. Psychological Reports, 66, 331-336. Teen,39(3), 42-44. A multivariate perspective. Addiction denotes repetitive routines of dysfunctional behavior,whether related to chemicals or activities (Marks, Bradley, Miele, Tilly,First, Frances, & Jaffe, 199 , pp. Took and Weiss (1994, pp. J., & Weiss, D. TEENAGED DRINKING Introduction This research examines the phenomenon of teenaged drinking in thecontemporary United States. Thus, program designed with the white American majority inmind may be ineffective for members of other ethnic and racial groups. 1-16). The complexity of this relationship is the result of thepsychological and physiological processes involved in responses byindividuals to both alcohol and sexual stimuli. (1994, Winter). Corcoran, K. Alcohol andaggression among youth. Physiologically, aninverse relationship exists between the amount of alcohol consumed and thelevel of physical sexual arousal. Meilman, P. E. Alcohol abuse in adolescents. J., Diaz, T., & Schinkle, S. 12-15). Opposite sex perceptions of theeffects of alcohol consumption on subsequent sexual activity in a datingsituation. Journal of Drug Issues, 25(1), 173-193. J., & Bell, B. Gladue, B. 85-95). Accelerating the coping process. Pardeck, J. (199 ). 83-92). R., Hansell, S., & Brick, J. Although the Alcoholics Anonymous treatment programs are considered bysome researchers to have distinguished themselves as ones that work, it hasalso been observed that many individuals often find it difficult to fulfillthe first three steps of the program--the relinquishment of control overtheir life situations. (1991). Alcohol portrayals and alcohol advertising ontelevision. The first three steps of the Alcoholics Anonymoustreatment programs also appear to induce individuals to develop an internallocus of control orientation, which can exacerbate the problems associatedwith substance abuse. The body of literature related to the association betweenalcohol and both physical attractiveness and sex appeal contains oftenconflicting findings and conclusions with respect to both the validity andthe strength of such relationships (Blume, pp. Alcohol Health and Research World, 17, 144-15 . W. 139). Sexual inferences aboutfemale targets. S. Sensation-seeking and delinquent substance use: An extension oflearning theory. White, H. Wood, P. T., & Kushnier, K. A., Obert, J. (1991). The expectancy ofsocial facilitation is linked to perceptions of physical attractiveness andsex appeal. 173-193). Pennebacker, J. 1-16). Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 51, 389-395. Factor analysis of the substance abuse attitudesurvey with college undergraduates. N., Stephenson, P. Secondly, the teenage user begins to spendincreasing amounts of time away from people who do not use alcohol.Disturbances to sleeping habits occur and psychological stresses increase,as the user experiences and attempts to rationalize behavioral changes.Real intimacy between a user and others becomes virtually impossible.During periods of alcohol addiction, users tend to prevent or distortexperiences that lead to the development of maturity and stamina. Among teenagers, males drink more per capita than females, and moremales than females consume alcohol on a more or less regular basis (O'Hare,199 , pp. Criminal activity and a deterioration of personality and lifestyle areantisocial behaviors frequently associated with alcohol addiction(Longshore, pp. T. Theuse of social learning theory as a basis for an approach to deal with theproblem appears to hold the greatest promise. (1995,January). Journal of Sexual Research, 23(2), 252-256. People speak of othersbeing addicted to watching sporting event on television, as well as beingdrug addicts. The goal of this examination is theidentification of an approach to the issue that will be effective inreducing the frequency and severity of social problems associated withteenaged drinking. This theory holds that behavior is learned through aprocess of social interaction with others. Hispanic families offer a differentexample. (199 ). 452-547). Gender differences inperception of attractiveness of men and women in bars. Much of the general perception ofexpected behavior related to the consumption of alcohol conflicts withactual outcomes (George & Norris, 1991, pp. The best help available is oftenthe help we give ourselves (Epstein, Botvin, Diaz, & Schinkle, pp. M., & Glover, E. Thus in dating situations, malesholding such perceptions frequently initiate unwelcome sexual advances. A multiple regression analysis of familyfactors affecting the potential for alcoholism in college students.Adolescence, 26, 341-347. 61-66). L., McCann, M. Engs, R. Psychology, 27(2), 7-11. (1993, July). Alcohol consumption by college undergraduates:Current use and 1 -year trends. Americansociety generally has perpetuated the idea that a woman who consumesalcohol is an acceptable target of sexual aggression (Blume, p. The anticipated rewards ofdrinking for teenagers are fun, thrills, and excitement. Common across dependencesyndromes are the repeated urge to participate in counterproductivebehaviors, the release of tension through such behaviors, the gradualreturn of the urge to repeat the behavior, secondary conditioning of theurge, and relapse prevention through cue exposure and stimulus control.Most relapse prevention models are rooted in social learning theory, andattempt to enhance the probability of maintaining a behavioral change(Rose, Eddy, & Glover, 1989, pp. Took, K. Longshore, D. S., & Crittenden, K. Acknowledging an alcoholic family member often is perceived as a betrayalof the family. G. Alcohol, disinhibition, sexualarousal, and deviant sexual behavior. 613-621) found an association between apreference for heavy metal and rap music, a higher incidence of below-average grades in school, a higher incidence of school behavior problems, ahigher incidence of sexual activity, and higher levels of drug and alcoholconsumption among teenagers. 527-532). H., & Norris, J. Rather, all that wasrequired was for subjects' to believe that alcohol had been consumed.George and Norris (pp. 341-347).Further, a multiplicity of causes is required to explain the development ofalcoholism by some individuals (Engs, 199 , pp. 83-92). This 12-step treatment program is based upon what is referredto as the conversion experience, in which a substance-abusing individualrelinquishes control over her or his life situation--admittingpowerlessness, accepting the existence of a "Higher Power," and turningone's will over to the "Higher Power." The remaining nine steps in theAlcoholics Anonymous treatment programs are designed to bring aboutmaturity and growth and to keep alive the new life orientation of thetreated individual. Garcia, L. Fertman, S. A., & Delaney, H. (1992, Winter). Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 7(2), 85-95. Crowley, J. S., Greenbaum, P. Lifestyle deterioration includes risking thecontracting of the AIDS (acquired immunity syndrome) virus. 83-92). (199 ). In black American families, moral weakness is generallyseen as the origin of alcoholism (Epstein, Botvin, Diaz, & Schinkle, pp. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.