Research by Australian Catholic University researchers indicates that there is a strong link between alcohol use during early and mid-adolescence and violence just two years later.
According to an article on Ncah.com.au researchers, Professor Sheryl Hemphill and Dr.Kirsty Balog from the university’s school of psychology embarked on research into the longitudinal link between alcohol consumption and severe interpersonal violence among young people in Oz.
Researchers evaluated data from 849 Victorian adolescents and discovered that alcohol use directly linked to violence in these youth’s lives. The study involved following the youths over a five year period from year seven until year 11 at secondary school as part of the International Youth Development Study – it revealed that drinking in year seven and nine led to violence two years later.
www.ncah.com.au explains more:
The research also discovered a bidirectional relationship between heavy episodic drinking and violence, prompting researchers to consider further investigation of the role that social and family contexts have in influencing the relationship between alcohol use and violence.
In their report, the researchers state their findings suggest the risk processes begin in late childhood or very early adolescence, and they recommend targeting the common risk factors for alcohol and violence at this time.
Dr Balog, who is based in Melbourne, said while previous published research had found mixed results, their research showed alcohol consumption and violent behaviours impacted on the developmental periods of early to late adolescence.
“It’s such a problem in Australia really. Every news bulletin usually has alcohol and violence involved,” she said.
“Our team mission is to improve the lives of young people and to understand more about those problems that we see in society and how we can improve them.”
The main researcher, Dr Balog whose background is in psychological and psycho physiological research went on to explain that the study follows on from a survey which revealed that one in five Aussies aged 14 years and older drink at risky levels, placing themselves in danger of alcohol related diseases or injury throughout their lives. The survey Dr Balog was referring to was conducted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and was part of their National Drug Strategy Household Survey in 2011. The same survey also revealed that about two in five Aussies aged 14 years and older had a pattern of alcohol consumption that placed them at risk of alcohol related injury from a single drinking occasion at least once in the preceding year.
The article goes on to explain:
A Postdoctoral Research Fellow within the Senior Proven Researcher Team at the School of Psychology, Dr Balog completed her psychology undergraduate studies at Swinburne University and her PhD at the University of Western Australia.
Dr Balog has worked on projects focusing on substance use and mental health and her upcoming research projects will investigate problem online and antisocial behaviours among youth, such as online gambling and sexting.
This research provides yet another reason why teenagers under the age of 18 should not be allowed to drink. Although it may be a practice rife in Australian teen culture, drinking can be detrimental to the development of teens not only physically and emotionally but mentally as well.