Underage Drinking Research Paper

Impede Immature Imbibing

In 1984, the law declaring the legal drinking age as 21 was passed. This important step in our nation’s history is just the catalyst for actions intended to prevent underage people from drinking. Due to the deluge of adolescent drinkers, law enforcement officers, parents, and members of communities are taking precautions to discourage young people from imbibing alcohol. Internal possession (IP) laws, parental and community involvement, and the utilization of the attachment theory are just a few deterrents from underaged drinking that are in use today. Parents and outside influences such as a school environment, or a child’s social group could influence an adolescent to decide whether or not to imbibe alcohol while being under the legal age. Underage drinking is a risky action, but there are preventive actions that people can take to discourage youths from drinking.

The supposed father of attachment theory and maternal deprivation, psychoanalyst John Bowlby, describes the theory as people having an inherent and universal desire to be accepted by others (Eusebio et al, 1). The attachment that an adolescent should feel to their parents is proven to be a preventive method for underage drinking and other rebellious activities. The American Psychological Association’s Andrew Lac et al. cites human connection activities such as “engaging in familial activities that cultivate trust, encouraging bidirectional parent– child communication, and adopting disciplinary practices that reject delinquent behaviors” (Lac et al, 9) as being activities that discourage underage drinking and promote Bowlby’s attachment theory.  Three crucial concepts of attachment theory are trust, communication, and non-alienation. Lack of these three concepts could cause youths to engage in risky behaviors due to the instability of an emotional bond with another person. Parental attachment however is proven to be more beneficial than peer attachment. According to Lac, “Peer attachment security was positively related to perceived behavioral ability to access alcohol, but maternal attachment security was negatively related to perceived behavioral ability to access alcohol” (Lac et al, 8). This proves that peer attachment is advantageous emotionally for youths, although it could also lead to unhealthy behaviors. Teens are more likely to drink with their friends than their parents which puts the teens at risk for other dangerous acts such as drunk driving, unprotected sex, and acts of violence. This is why helpful parental involvement is crucial to discourage underage drinking and other dangerous activities.

Parental involvement can prevent underage drinking, however law enforcement agencies are enforcing laws and policies to further discourage this epidemic. Internal possession (IP) laws prohibit minors from having alcohol in their system. Studies show that IP laws reduce high school drinking by 10% on average. Although there is no known cause for this, the impact of IP laws is stronger in males than females. The benefit of IP laws involving binge drinking is also proven to be more effective in males than females. (Disney et al, 6). IP laws ban generally all underaged drinking activities, but there are specific laws that prohibit situational drinking. Minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws including purchasing laws, zero tolerance laws, and use- and- lose laws which allows the suspension of driving privileges for minor guilty of alcohol violations are proven to cause a decrease in the ratio of underage drinking drivers to nondrinking drivers in fatal crashes (Disney et al, 1). Although The American Journal for Public Health states that the breadth and enforcement of MLDA laws vary widely from state to state, MLDA laws are enforced in most states. For example, underage drinking is entirely prohibited in 35 states (Disney et al, 1). These IP laws and the like are proven to be effective in diminishing the tragic phenomenon of teen drinking.

Another concept that tries to prevent underage drinking is preemptive interventions. Preemptive interventions are basically just interventions that are given before the problem exists to prevent the negative behavior. Family interventions are proven to be the most effective; actions such as child monitoring, parent child bonding, effective discipline, and parental involvement lessen the chance of underage alcohol use (Spoth et al, 2). Provided that the parents are nurturing and the child forms an attachment, children often have the intrinsic value to try to please their parents and if they are taught at a young age to not drink whilst underage, they will honor their parent’s teachings. If a teen understands that they have the love and care of a parent, the teen would be less likely to fill the void with alcohol and hazardous activities.

In order for parents and inspiring figures to try to prevent youths from imbibing alcohol, they need to understand the risks and predictive factors affiliated with underage drinking. Six risk/predictive factors are commonly recognized for underage drinking: community, school, peer risk, family risk, family protection, and individual antisocial behavior. Although family and parental involvement to prevent underage drinking is crucial, community protection was the strongest protective factor, and peers and antisocial attitudes were the strongest risk factors that could lead to rebellious and dangerous activities (Cooper et al, 6). One would easily believe that parents are the most beneficial challengers of underage drinking. However, parental involvement concerning drinking is not always advantageous. Laws, community organizations, and a healthy local peer environment are almost always an effectual method for preventing underage drinking. Community members are aware of the commonality of teen drinking and conduct programs such as Mothers Against Destructive Decisions (MADD) to prevent underage drinking and risky behaviors from occurring. Programs such as MADD and laws implemented to avoid teen drinking are much more constructive to avoiding this issue than parental involvement. Although parents can provide emotional stability and support, there is also the possibility of negative parental involvement.

Parents who drink to the point of intoxication in front of their young children are most likely going to raise adolescents that experiment with underage drinking because alcohol is familiar to them. According to Bandura’s social learning theory, “individuals learn behavior through observing and interacting with those who they are closest to.” Although children with parents who drink often have negative associations with alcohol due to the anxiety that the parents cause for the children because of violent, threatening, or immoral behavior, the exposure of drinking to children could lead to undesired alcohol consumption for youths simply because “they are closest to” their parents. (Raitasalo et al, 2). Parents are aware that it is ethically wrong to drink to the point of intoxication in front of their children. However, studies show that “almost 40% of respondents considered it acceptable to drink to intoxication in the child’s company if someone else is looking after the child” (Raitasalo et al, 1). Application of the social learning theory implies that this lax attitude about alcohol that the parent displays could transfer to their child. An article provided by the National Institute of Health and Welfare states “drinking problems in adolescence and later in life could be prevented by paying attention to this attitude (referring to parent’s lax attitude about drinking around their children) and to parent’s drinking in families with small children” (Raitasalo et al, 2). This scenario might insert the thought in the teen that because the parents are slack about alcohol use that the adolescents can imbibe too. On the opposite end of the spectrum, parents who never drink and are relentless about lecturing their children to avoid underage drinking could produce offspring that do not feel the support and attachment that most children should feel to their guardians. This lack of attachment could lead to a rebellious teen that experiments with hazardous acts such as underage drinking. Both of the extremes of alcohol consumption are proven to be undesirable for the child’s well being. Parents and guardians should simply show support and care for their youths to discourage underage drinking.

Teens can use socializing as an excuse to drink and perhaps cope with social ineptitude. As drinking decreases inhibitions, the teen is less likely to feel unaccepted and socially self-conscious. However, the lack of inhibitions can lead to unwanted consequences. Not only is underage drinking dangerous- it is damaging to one’s mental, physical, and behavioral health. According to Cooper et al, “each year underage drinking results in 5,000 deaths of those younger than 21 years” (Cooper et al, 1). This is the greatest mortality risk associated with underage drinking. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), “underage drinking is associated with mental health problems, such as depression and suicidality” (Spoth et al, 2). The effect of alcohol is inconsistent- some people react to drunkenness with a sense of elation whereas some people become a slovenly, dejected mess when intoxicated. A state of drunkenness can make one’s existence seem to be full of misery and pointlessness. Ipso facto, a state of inebriation could possibly promote suicidal or depressed behaviors. The main side effect of imbibing alcohol is a lack of inhibitions and awareness. This state can cause people to participate in actions they normally would not. According to Spoth, “adolescents who drink are at increased risk for behavioral problems, including delinquency, violence, and poor academic performance” (Spoth et al, 2).  People of respectable moral, academic, and behavioral standing can completely lose their couth when drinking and become contentious, lethargic, and depraved. The lack of inhibitions that alcohol entails often leads to negative results and this is why youths need guidance from some source of stability to discourage underage drinking.

Supportive family and community members are proven to be the most beneficial advocates against underage drinking whereas peer interaction increases the chance of adolescents drinking and can be a catalyst for teens to desire alcohol. These aforementioned roles as well as law enforcement agencies are doing their best to discourage underage drinking and are trying to prevent any more tragedies that ensue when youths drink.

Works Cited

Brittany Rhoades Cooper, et al. "A Multidomain Approach To Understanding Risk For Underage Drinking: Converging Evidence From 5 Data Sets." American Journal Of Public Health 102.11 (2012): 2080-2087. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.

Disney, Lynn D.LaVallee, Robin A.Hsiao-ye Yi. "The Effect Of Internal Possession Laws On Underage Drinking Among High School Students: A 12-State Analysis." American Journal Of Public Health 103.6 (2013): 1090. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.

Eusebio M. Alvaro, et al. "Attachment Theory And Theory Of Planned Behavior: An Integrative Model Predicting Underage Drinking." Developmental Psychology 49.8 (2013): 1579-1590. PsycINFO. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.

Raitasalo, Kirsimarja, Marja Holmila, and Pia Mäkel. "Drinking In The Presence Of Underage Children: Attitudes And Behaviour." Addiction Research & Theory 19.5 (2011): 394-401. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.

Spoth, Richard, Mark Greenberg, and Robert Turrisi. "Overview Of Preventive Interventions Addressing Underage Drinking." Alcohol Research & Health 32.1 (2009): 53-66. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Oct. 2013

Dangerous Drunkards Critical Analysis

Dangerous Drunkards

   
A freshman in high school glances at the liquor cabinet his parents keep stocked with multiple brands of every alcoholic drink imaginable. The freshman thinks that his parents will not notice if one measly small bottle of Absolut Vodka™ is gone. He swipes the bottle, sniffs and analyzes the pungent clear liquid, and takes a swig right out of the bottle. He winces from the putrid taste, but loves the numbness the vodka supplies him. This is the start of a possible addiction. Experimentation with alcohol for teens is a ubiquitous problem in modern society and members of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): Chiung Chen, Hsiao-ye Yi, Gerald Williams, and Vivian Faden analyze this underage-drinking epidemic in the article “Trends in Underage Drinking in the United States.” This NIAAA article introduces the underage-drinking issue by declaring the risks of alcohol usage, especially at a young age, and provides many statistics about the prevalence of youths consuming alcohol and all the complications that ensue when children illegally drink alcoholic beverages. This article utilizes shocking statistics, a tense tone, and ample evidentiary support to report on the commonality of underage-drinking and the issues that entail such as unwanted behaviors including sexual misconduct, violence, and even driving after consuming alcohol. These behaviors are clearly hazardous, especially in young people, and this article takes a clear stance that displays the NIAAA’s desperate desire to end this epidemic.

   The article emphasizes the omnipresent epidemic of underage drinking and how often mere children can obtain and consume alcohol. This article states, “23.8 percent of high school students reported that they consumed their first drink of alcohol before age 13” (Chen et al. 2). This absurdly young age and high percentage of alcohol usage is a social issue that needs to be remedied, which is clearly expressed in the author’s thesis: “Rates of alcohol consumption among underage youth are a cause for concern” (Chen et al. 2). This blunt statement is elaborated on by stating numerous facts and multiple sets of data to assert the fact that underage drinking is far too normal and is a social issue that needs to be remedied in order to have productive youths in modern civilization. The article emphasizes the issues that arise from underage consumption of alcohol such as sexual misconduct, drinking and driving, unwanted pregnancies, violence, and even the possibility of addiction (Chen et al. 2). The article states, “Age of initiation of drinking affects future drinking patterns and alcohol-related risk behaviors” (Chen et al. 3). This statement solidifies the authors’ focus that alcohol usage at a young age can lead to further unhealthy behaviors that are damaging to the lives of the ones abusing alcohol and those affected by that usage. The authors clearly assert that the concept of youths imbibing alcoholic beverages is unethical and leads to unwanted behaviors that damage the efficacy of young people in this day and age.

     The assertions that the NIAAA make are thoroughly supported solely through statistics and facts about the pervasive nature of juvenile drinking. Statistics such as “In 2007, 28.2 percent of youth ages 12-20 reported consuming alcohol in the past 30 days” (Chen et al.1) are plentiful in this article and cause the reader to understand the evidence and prove the authors’ purpose to discourage underage inebriation. The authors consult numerous studies and notable organizations such as the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to collect the data to further demonstrate the issue at hand. Statements that express the problematic nature of underage drinking such as “Overall rates of binge drinking have increased among 12-to 20- year-olds between 1993 and 2002 from 12.1 to 19.1 percent” (Chen et al.1) are meant to shock the reader and further the author’s explanation of trying to remedy the social problem of youths imbibing alcohol.  The usage of the ample quantity of evidentiary support forces the reader to listen to and put trust in the authors and understand the authors’ purpose to try to discourage youths imbibing alcohol at teenage ages.

            The fact that there are numerous authors for this article including Chiung Chen, Hsiao-ye Yi, Gerald Williams, and Vivian Faden ensures the reader that the topic is well researched and is objective considering the article is purely factually based and does not include the bias of the authors, whilst supporting their purpose to discourage underage drinking to avoid the problems that underage drinking trigger. The authors utilize a vast number of statistics and facts to appeal to intellectual parents of teenagers and people concerned with the issues presented by the National Institutes of Health to discourage the youths from underage drinking and the undesirable affects that are caused by imbibing alcohol at young ages. The authors compiled and wrote the article in 2009, which supports that this information is fairly recent and is applicable to modern society. Since the article was written within the past four years, the reader knows that the issue of underage drinking is still prevalent and is a cause for concern for the youths in this time.

            The authors’ tone is very dignified and professional. Considering the article is solely based on fact, the professionalism expressed in the tone is appropriate and ensures the reader that the authors are knowledgeable about the topic. The article utilizes formal diction, professional language, and an intellectual tone to appeal to the audience whom want to hear about the issue from a reliable source and not an ill-informed and unprofessional amateur. The competence in the tone of the article implies that the reader is an intelligent parent who wants teenagers to make smart decisions and avoid the usage of alcohol despite the prevalence of exposure to drinking. However, the article does alienate a large portion of the intended audience (parents of teenagers) because the parents who are not or do not care to be well informed on the issue of underage drinking would not bother to read this article. The tone and style of the article ensure the reader that the information included in the article is valid, relevant, and should be considered before exposing youths to alcohol and other possibly dangerous behaviors.

            The article employs a mindset of health, wellness, and safety to support the authors’ purpose of informing the public about the pervasiveness of youths drinking. The fluid and fact-filled transition from statistics about the ubiquitous nature of juvenile drinking to the problems and future possibilities associated with youths imbibing is structurally effective in informing the reader thoroughly on the topic. The article is organized from the specific facts that support the fact that underage drinking is dangerous and is unfortunately common to the general ideas of the future possibilities that underage drinking can lead to. The structure of this article is very common amongst other articles concerning health, wellness, and safety. Most articles in this discipline are structured from the specific to the general concepts to emphasize facts and open the reader’s mind to possibilities that can occur concerning the topic the facts are about.

            The article concludes with the methods and resources used to compile this article and compose a well-informed argument that is valid and germane. This form of conclusion ensures the legitimacy of the article. The authors’ argument to dissuade teenagers from drinking and the dangers of the consumption of alcohol is effective and well-informed which inspires parents of teenagers to discourage the teens of this day from drinking and encourage them to make wise decisions in their life.

Works Cited

Chen, Chiung M. Trends in Underage Drinking in the United States, 1991-2007. Bethesda, Md: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, 2009. Internet resource.

Personal Narrative

Tattoo at Two O’Clock

            The beguiling Andrew Bird had just beautifully sung the last lyric of “Fake Palindromes”. The only sound in the Georgia Theater was the reverberation of the gramophone of the final note of the song. The overwhelming crowd of people around me disappeared. It was just the tantalizing tune and I. As soon as I left the concert, I knew that I wanted a way to commemorate that special night- an evening filled with breathtaking music, the pleasure of being merely feet away from a musician that truly means a lot to me, and sharing the experience with two of my most favorite people.  Eight months later the resonant sound created by Andrew Bird was replaced with the whirring noise created by a tattoo needle. I always knew that I wanted a tattoo and the experience of complete serenity with no sound but the reverberation of a Specimen™ phonograph led me to the idea to get a gramophone as my first tattoo.

Andrew Bird states, “What you see with your eyes when you're making music is going to

have a profound effect on what you hear.” When Bird collaborated with artist Ian Schneller to

create “Sonic Arboretum,” he clearly had in mind the beauty of the classic phonograph. “Sonic

Arboretum” was an exhibit in the Guggenheim Museum which was composed of basically a

forest filled with gramophones made with recyclable materials. As an audiophile, dedicated Bird

lover, and an environmentalist, the concept of the “Sonic Arboretum” genuinely piqued my

interest and fostered my obsession with the 40-year-old musical god. This infatuation led to the

epic decision to have my first tattoo be in honor of Mr. Bird and the concert that changed my

view of the seemingly antiquated gramophone and even of music itself. That man ruined me for

every other musician. I can never love a musician as much as I do Mr. Bird. Thanks a lot,

Andrew!

The inspiration I felt at that concert as well as the evident passion Andrew Bird has for

his music made my decision to get ink in his honor a regretless one. Getting a tattoo is a cultural rite of passage for aspiring artists such as myself. Tattoos are an art form that is actually permanent and can be on your person, which is a creative person’s dream. The action of receiving my first tattoo helped me realize that I was no longer a high school student. I realized I was soon to be a college student and an autonomous adult. The experience of getting a tattoo transformed me from a virgin-skinned teenager to an inked adult and ultimately helped me comprehend my newfound independence.

                         Considering tattoos are a thousand tiny permanent puncture wounds

that last forever, I wanted my tattoos to be beautiful, significant, and something that I could

never regret. On June 8^th, 2013, at 2 o’clock at Fine Lines Tattoo Studio in Augusta, Georgia- I

made one of the best decisions I have ever made. I had completed the most important drawing I

had ever done in my life as it was going to be on my left upper back for all eternity. I sketched 

eleven different phonograph designs before I landed on the phonograph that Bird and Schneller

designed. On the fifteen-minute drive over to the tattoo studio, I was absolutely petrified as I

have very low pain tolerance, but as soon as the brilliant tattoo artist, Darick Whitely, asked what

the significance of what he was about to strategically stab into my body and my worries about

the pain, the permanence, and the passing out were eliminated. As soon as I told the story of how

important this icon was to me, I knew that I would never regret this decision and that I officially

became an adult capable of making decisions for myself. It was one week after I had turned

eighteen years old and my parents knew I was getting a tattoo and that they could not stop me.

The fact that I ignored my fear of pain, my parent’s reluctance, and my low bank account proved

that I finally was capable of deciding on something for myself . As a child, decisions were

made for me. As a teenager, decisions were required to have parental input. Now, it was just me

and my own passion for wanting to have a work of art on my body that represented a night, a

moment, a concept, an icon, a concert, a transformation, and a brilliant beautiful man that led me

to my first solely independent decision in my adult life.

           

            The moment the needle hit my skin and I felt the cat-scratch like discomfort, I became a

mature, bold, and inked adult. The experience helped me grow as an artist as it made me more

confident in my abilities considering I got my own drawing punctured onto me. It helped me

grow as a person who was not filled with regret. It helped me grow in my tolerance of pain. Most

importantly, the experience of becoming a tattooed young lady helped me grow as an

independent entity capable of making smart decisions on my own without parental consent. I was

without a care in the world about what anyone else thought about my tattoo or the fact that I

participated in a supposedly “insubordinate” act that is ubiquitous amongst the artistic

community that I was soon to move into. I knew my parents might not approve however they

actually love my tattoos, I knew my grandparents would be horrified , I knew I would have to

tell future employers that I am a tattooed person and I knew that my peers might judge me for

my seemingly futile act of “rebellion.” This sensation of being sure of my decision without a

worry about other’s opinions and my knowledge that this tattoo was for me and Mr. Bird and not

anyone else was the initial step that I needed to become an adult before moving from the place I

had lived all my life. The feeling of total enlightenment of my newfangled adulthood and myself

induced a shock of adrenaline, a sense of confidence, and a reincarnation from a hesitant, meek,

and regretful child into a unflinching, unwavering, and creativity-powered tattoo addict.

           

Although tattoos are pricey, permanent, and painful, that first phonograph tattoo

converted me into a lover of body art with a list of tattoo designs that will be stabbed in the most

beautiful way possible into my person. (Four down, ten to go.) That first tattoo transformed me

into an open-minded, decisive, and passionately creative adult which helped solidify my concept

of my true self before I left a place where I simply lacked belongingness. This was necessary in

order for me to confidently envelop myself into a new environment with thoroughly artistic,

environmentalist, and like-minded peers that accept me for the socially awkward, dark-humored,

spastic little hobbit that I am. The transformation is complete and now I am an adult. That

gramophone represents my thrust into maturity and self-awareness that I had longed for all my

life. Ink may seem insipid, rebellious, or gratuitous, but that is the action I needed to accomplish

in order for me to follow a rite of passage into independence.