Adolescence is a period of growth not only physically but also psychologically; it involves volatile emotions and behaviors, and often times experimentation with substances like cigarettes, inhalants, illicit drugs, prescription drugs, marijuana and alcohol use. During this time, adolescents seek autonomy from their parents and grow closer to their peers (especially in mid-late adolescence), which can lead to risky behaviors and potential substance use. Parents who talk to their children directly and are more immersed in their child’s life have a higher parental awareness if their child is at risk for using alcohol and other drugs.
However, parents often underestimate or simply deny that their child is involved with AOD, which may lead them to question if their parenting behavior or style is at fault. The social learning theory suggests that parents and adolescents reciprocally influence each other, indicating that parents have the ability to influence adolescent behaviors or their own parental behaviors to further promote positive outcomes for their child.
The risk of substance use amongst adolescents is directly correlated to parental awareness of a child’s daily activities and peer groups, and with a broader understanding, effective communication channels and positive parent-child relationships, parents can ultimately impact and mitigate their child’s involvement in such substance use.
Parents need to become aware of the prevalence of substance use among youth and more alert to the signs and symptoms of use because, as research indicates, parental awareness has the potential of deterring such drug and substance usage. One study found that parents reported lower rates of substance use than did their adolescents.
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Only 39% of parents were aware of their adolescent smoking tobacco, 34% aware of alcohol usage, and 11% aware of illicit drug usage, demonstrating that parents are either dismissive, in denial or truly unaware of the extent of substance use amongst their adolescents. Even though some experimental behavior is expected from adolescents, parents need to reflect on their own adolescence and determine if their behaviors were kept a secret from their parents and if so do they believe their child is doing the same.
The most dramatic increase in alcohol and other drug use appears to occur in relatively young adolescents, typically between seventh and ninth grade. Bogenschneider et al., (1998), found that 9% to 21% of students reported using marijuana, 19% to 34% reported using cigarettes, and alcohol was even higher with 25% of eighth-graders, 39% of tenth graders, and 51% of twelfth graders reporting they drank alcohol within the last month. Of the many substances at a youth’s disposal, alcohol is said to be the substance of choice, which in turn affects their brain development and increases the risk of later drug dependency.
Literature shows that parents generally have poor insight in their adolescent’s substance use, and such parental awareness only increases as the adolescent gets older, there is a high frequency of use, or there is evidence of lower academic performance. In today’s society parents need to increase their understanding of the irresistible substances can be to youth, especially if their youth is going through trauma or experiences in which they are not aware of. It is important for parents to set boundaries with their youth however if questionable behaviors are observed the parent should trust their instincts and investigate further.
During adolescence, peers become a significant influence in the lives of youth, but as evidence shows, this can become either a positive or negative influence depends on the behavior of these particular peers. There is a high probability of substance use among adolescents if they are affiliated with alcohol and other drug-using peers. A study found, “where peer-related variables and family factors are both evaluated, peer associations have a more profound impact on AOD use than parent-child relationships” . Negative peer influence has emerged as the strongest predictor of adolescent substance use. Parents may be less knowledgeable about adolescent substance use if the youth is turning to peers more often than to parents for advice. However, Miller-Day (2008) emphasizes that although peers play a crucial role in adolescent drug use, the attitudes and behaviors of parents, the quality of family life, and general parenting practices play a critical role in initiation and experimentation with alcohol and other drugs. Despite adolescence being a trying time for both parents and adolescents, it is imperative for parents to take the time to get to know their youth’s friends and families as a way to monitor their youth’s vulnerability toward substance use.
Adolescence is characterized as a transitional period where children test limits, are involved in risky behaviors, search for an identity, independence, and are impulsive; an adolescent’s frontal cortex is not yet fully developed, explaining certain exhibited behaviors. Those who are involved with AOD may engage in risky behaviors, such as delinquency, unprotected sexual activity, and drop out of school. Alcohol use has also been implicated in accidental injuries and death; motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of disability and death amongst this age group . Mental health disorders in early adolescence have also been shown to predict higher levels of AOD use in late adolescence. Other behaviors that have been attributed to AOD use are early aggression, conduct problems, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and depressive and anxiety symptoms.
In addition, peer pressure to engage in substance use and exposure to pro-drug messages in the media are also key risk factors. The increased use of AOD is said to cause significant issues in a youth’s normative developmental processes, academics, social, and even psychological problems. Adolescent development, though complex, should not discourage a parent from being a support for their child even when they do not understand why they act a certain way. Having an open channel of communication with youth will allow them to turn to their parents to discuss topics like sex, substance use (addiction, overdose, and kinds of drugs), and mental health issues even when the parent may not feel comfortable addressing those topics.
Though there is no universal parenting style or practice, parents must be aware that their behavior in parenting plays a crucial role in preventing or decreasing the likelihood of their adolescent using AOD. Lack of awareness simply shows that parents are uninformed of their child’s drug use, whereas lack of parental involvement in their children’s activities predicts greater initiation of drug use. In conjunction, another study found that poor parental monitoring, lack of firm and consistent limit setting, lack of security, trust, warmth, and open communication in parent-child relationships, harsh or inconsistent disciplinary practices and disruptions in family life all contributed to an increased risk of AOD use. Poor parent-child communication is also associated with greater substance use. In households characterized by poor parent-child and parent-parent relations (parental conflict), participants suggested that young people may engage in substance use to aggravate caregivers, seek attention, or simply because it is unlikely to make any difference to their relationship; it can also be an escape mechanism or form of rebellion for youth.
Other studies suggest that negative and/or critical parenting in parent-child interactions increases the youth substance use risk, potentially because hostile parenting reduces parent-youth bonding. Evidence suggests exposure or mixed messages pertaining to parental substance misuse can also place adolescents at risk for AOD use. A study by Chaplin et al. (2014), indicated that feeling overly aroused by family discussions may lead youth to avoid discussions outright, leading to decreased parental monitoring and increased contact with risky peers and substance use. It is reported that the youth’s high arousal may lead them to use substances to regulate arousal, and their substance use may exacerbate reactivity, which may lead to negatively charged interactions with parents.
The kind of communication a parent-child share is visible by the type of parenting style enforced in the home, as the literature suggests parents have a direct impact on their child’s substance use and communication is a key factor to deterring substance use. Parents who employ authoritative parenting, a style that is both highly responsive and demanding, are less likely to have adolescents use AOD. However, permissive parenting attitudes and values about adolescents’ use of AOD are strong predictors for substance use . On the other hand, Pettigrew et al. (2018) states parents who are authoritative and permissive have youth with significantly less substance use than parents who are authoritarian or neglectful.
A typology of “drug talks” was created using four types of conventional approaches parents would employ to deliver messages about substance use to their children. Timing and directness distinguished the communication styles: situated direct (direct verbal statements), ongoing direct (frequently, openly, and actively talk every day or overtime), situated indirect (nonverbal messages or verbal hints, insinuating rules and expectations), and ongoing direct (anti-substance use expectations and conservative norms, low level of directness). Thus, having direct situated or ongoing conversations with adolescents, while providing support, clear boundaries, rules and parental monitoring, are preventative measures to discourage substance use and problem behaviors.
Although one “drug-talk style” may not fit all types of families, having a direct drug talk, not just as a reactive strategy but instead as a proactive strategy, will allow parents to communicate their expectations, rules, rewards, and sanctions for compliance regarding AOD use. Parental communication can increase adolescents’ perceived sanctions against substance use and thereby reduce experimentation. The socialization theory argues that parents are pro- or anti-drug socialization agents, shaping attitudes, norms, intentions, and behaviors. McLaughlin et al. (2016), “identifies a family as one of the primary socialization sources for young people and systematic reviews of interventions indicate that certain family-based models have positive benefits,” as explored by Miller-Day (2008). A family-based model found that parents in consensual families used a no-tolerance rule more than other family environments; consensual families are open to discussing ideas and expressing opinions and expect compliance with parental rules. Research states that consensual families may be an effective and optimal environment for preventing drug use.
Discussing drug scenarios and asking adolescents what they have learned about drugs is also related to a lower likelihood of substance use and lower physiological arousal in youth. Findings suggest “it may not be necessary for parents to have ongoing talks with their youth as long as they clearly, directly communicate their expectations for substance use with adolescents at some point .” Examples of normative messages parents shared with their youth were namely “don’t do drugs” or “drugs are bad and for losers,” and they estimated the best messages are those that accentuate consequences of use through narratives, along with messages that equip youth to handle social situations competently. Parents who transmit their values and expectations to youth and do so using direct communication tactics, appear to experience a payoff in decreased AOD use. Some studies show that developing anti-use norms can be protective against use and indirect messages may be one way to socialize these norms, leading to decreased use.
Parenting skills and practices that incorporate family bonding and communication are protective factors for adolescent substance use. Evidence indicates parents are a key motivator in preventing or intervening with substance use, through inducing risk or promoting protection and resilience. Parental attitudes and behaviors as previously discussed have a powerful influence on children, therefore when parents refrain from alcohol, tobacco, or other drug use, or when they communicate that these behaviors are not acceptable, children are less likely to participate in such activities. The social learning theory is thought to occur through attention to or observation of the behavior of others in everyday situations; however, a parent can only respond appropriately to behaviors they are aware of , which exemplifies the need for an increased parental awareness of substance use. Parental knowledge about youth AOD use is of course a prerequisite for actively changing parenting practices for the purpose of reducing substance use or for contacting professionals for the same purpose.
Harper-Browne (2014), emphasizes that all youth need adults, inside and outside of their family, who care about them, who can be non-judgmental listeners, who they can turn to for well-informed guidance and advice, who they can call on in times of stress and for help in solving problems, who encourage them and promote high expectations, who help them identify and nurture their interests, and who set developmentally appropriate limits, rules, and monitoring while granting autonomy.
The sense of connectedness is said to be a protective factor against many health-jeopardizing behaviors of adolescents and the connection allows youth to thrive. Without this, studies have shown that negative, rejecting, or utter lack of peer networks play a role in the development of a range of problematic outcomes, including poor academic engagement and performance, delinquency, substance use, and various mental health problems. Therefore, having an authoritative parenting style correlates with the purpose of the Youth Thrive Framework where it supports a youth’s healthy development and well-being, reducing the likelihood or impact of negative life experiences. Additionally, parents and adolescents who understand adolescent development have a better concept of how to prevent negative outcomes, risky behaviors and build resiliency.
As child protective workers, our goal is to ensure a child’s safety and well-being, and as the Youth Thrive Framework and research exemplifies, adolescents need to have a solid parent-child relationship, where communication is key to addressing the difficult conversations pertaining to substance abuse, sex, delinquency, and risky behaviors. Sharing learned information with our parents and families about the prevalence of substance use among adolescents allows them to change their parenting practice and behaviors in hopes to deter AOD use. It is also important to keep adolescents informed about the development and vulnerabilities they may experience during adolescence to assist them with making better choices.
Furthermore, the Youth Thrive Framework encourages building resilience in youth which is emphasized by McLaughlin et al. (2016), “children need to learn from their mistakes; have safe boundaries; be able to share their feelings; have nurtured confidence and disclosure; not overreact or involve youth friends in arguments and; and help parents understand adolescence is a period of experimentation.”
In summary, parental knowledge and awareness is extremely important during adolescence, considering youth seek more freedom, are involved with more extracurricular activities, become much more secretive, and seek acceptance from their peers. Research emphasizes that having a positive parent-child relationship, monitoring youth’s whereabouts, activities, and peers can reduce a youth’s AOD use. It also states that “monitoring could highlight the importance of identifying changes in youth’s behavior, encourage disclosure, and mitigate the negative influence of peers.
With all the developmental changes adolescents experience, one factor that should be increased rather than decreased is parental supervision. It is imperative for parents to remain active in their adolescent’s development and begin speaking with them about substance use early in childhood. Having conversations early in childhood may reduce or avoid AOD use which may occur in adolescence. Parents should also avoid never having the talk or rely on the assumption that their adolescent “won’t use AOD because they wouldn’t do such a thing,” because as research finds, this is statistically inaccurate. As a result, parental awareness and behaviors have a significant impact on adolescent substance use, and parents should encourage their adolescents to ask questions and feel comfortable talking about alcohol and other drugs to promote healthy growth and a positive lifestyle as they navigate an immense period of their lives.
Parental Awareness Of Adolescent Substance USE . (2021, Dec 04). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/parental-awareness-of-adolescent-substance-use/
