News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

A study of British teenagers found that this generation is becoming more independent of their parents and more likely to be influenced by their peers, turning to members of their own age group for guidance and emotional support. This puts the youth at higher risk for drinking, smoking, and using drugs.

Researchers from the World Health Organization who surveyed 200,000 children at ages 11, 13, and 15 years old in 41 countries found that British teens ranked third for alcohol consumption. Forty percent of British 15-year-olds reported drinking at least once a week. The more time they spent with friends in the evening, the more likely the teens were to abuse alcohol and other substances.

"There is something very interesting going on about where young people are getting their support," said Candace Currie, lead author and director of the Children's and Adolescent Health Research Unit at the University of Edinburgh. "It's shifting from the home and parents to their school and peers."

Labels: support, independence, peers

Posted By: Aspen Education Group