Talking to Teens About Alcohol Does Work

A recent study by the University of Michigan Health System showed that having a one-on-one discussion with teens who exhibit violent behavior after drinking can reduce future outbursts and other alcohol-related problems.

Alcohol can be a trigger for violent or aggressive behavior in anyone — all you need to do is think about how a simple disagreement at a bar, sporting event or concert between two people who have had too much to drink can turn into a brawl. This is especially true for teens, who are also going through hormonal changes and development of their brain which can make them more aggressive and more prone to drug, alcohol and prescription drug abuse.

Talking to teens about alcohol use can sometimes feel like a pointless task for many parents, who can never be sure that their message is getting through. It can be easy to assume that the only thing that will get through to a teen who is drinking too much — and acting violently when they do — is a stint in alcohol rehabs. However, a report published in the August 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that discussing alcohol addiction with a teen can have a positive impact.

The study by the University of Michigan Health System tracked 726 teens from 14-18 who were offered help by researchers after having reported feeling violent or overly-aggressive behaviors while drinking. Those who received a talk from an addiction treatment therapist about the dangers of alcohol abuse and the related rise in violent behavior saw a 34 percent reduction in outbursts of peer aggression. Patients who only received a brochure saw a reduction in their aggressive behavior but in a rate half of patients who received one-on-one counseling.

According to the University of Michigan report, having a chance to talk to an expert from an addiction treatment program not only reduces the frequency of peer violence with teens but also can help them reduce their overall alcohol use. The study found that counseling in an emergency department for teens after a violent incident while drinking reduced the frequency of alcohol-related issues by up to 32 percent for the following six months, reducing the odds that a teen would wind up in alcohol and drug rehab or injure themselves or someone else after drinking.