The role of family, friends and peers in A ustralian adolescent's alcohol consumption

and Aims This study examines factors associated with alcohol‐related attitudes and behaviours among 888 A ustralians aged 12 to 17 years. Although these influences have been examined in other countries, notably the USA , A ustralia's legal drinking age of 18 years is lower and adolescent drinking rates are substantially higher than in the USA . Design and Methods This is a survey of 888 adolescents aged 12–17; they were recruited via a variety of methods (including school based, interception in public places and online) to obtain a cross‐section of participants across metropolitan, regional and rural N ew S outh W ales. Results Most respondents believed that people their age regularly consumed alcohol; and more than half believed that their siblings and peers would approve of them drinking. Predictors of frequent alcohol consumption included having a sibling or a friend who consumed alcohol; believing parents, friends and/or siblings approved of drinking; drinking behaviours of parents, friends and/or siblings; and having a higher disposable income. Discussion and Conclusions The results support previous findings from the USA . We find an even stronger effect of family and friends' drinking behaviours and attitudes in a country with a lower legal drinking age and high adult alcohol consumption rates.[Jones SC, Magee CA. The role of family, friends and peers in Australian adolescent's alcohol consumption. Drug Alcohol Rev 2014;33:304–313]