Attitudes on Alcohol Consumption in Youth Across Ethnic Groups

Attitudes on Alcohol Consumption in Youth Across Ethnic Groups

This research examines how people’s attitudes toward alcohol consumption vary across ethnic groups. Previous research has clearly demonstrated that patterns of alcohol use are influenced by a group’s norms and attitudes regarding alcohol use (Caetano & Clark, 1999). The current study investigates how a group’s norms toward alcohol use extend and apply to the use of alcohol by children and adolescents. Participants were given a twenty eight-item questionnaire on various drinking and eating habits in adults, adolescents and children. The participants rated each question on a five point Likert-type scale indicating their agreement or disagreement. Data was collected from 156 participants from five different groups: Hispanic, Caucasian, African-American, Asian, and Caribbean. Preliminary data analysis supports the existence of different group attitudes on alcohol consumption in children and adolescents across ethnic groups.