Graduate Research Papers
Availability
Open Access Graduate Research Paper
Abstract
Adolescent alcohol use is a significant health and safety concern in the United States (National Institutes of Health, 2006). Alcohol use among adolescents has a number of negative consequences including academic failure, health problems, motor vehicle accidents and personal violence (Bruner and Fishman, 1998). Many researchers contend that the decision to use alcohol is made during childhood and early adolescence (Johnson, O'Malley and Bachman (1984).
This research project examined the relationship between adolescent alcohol use and leisure involvement. Many of the self-reported reasons that adolescents drink alcohol are similar to those benefits they derive from participation in more wholesome leisure activities ( Carruthers, 1992 ). Several themes emerged in the review of literature pointing to the development of alcohol expectancies, gender issues, family and peer influences, social and community factors along with parental practices all influence a young person's decision to use alcohol and the degree to which they use or abuse alcohol.
A number of educational, prevention based programs have been implemented to address adolescent drug and alcohol use and adolescent leisure skills or leisure education (Caldwell, Baldwin, Walls & Smith, 2004). Research indicates that the target group for prevention programs are younger than previously thought (Huettman, Sarvela & Benson, 1991). Much of a young child's decision to use alcohol is based on what benefits they expect to gain from using alcohol (Rolson & Scherman, 2002). More research is needed for practitioners to gain insight into the reasons that young people choose to drink alcohol and how the relationship to their leisure skill development may be used to deter or delay adolescent alcohol use.
Year of Submission
2010
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services
First Advisor
Christopher Edginton
Date Original
2010
Object Description
1 PDF file (70 pages)
Copyright
©2010 Jennifer Swofford
Language
en
Recommended Citation
Swofford, Jennifer, "An Examination of the Pertinent Literature of the Relationship between Adolescence, Alcohol Use and Leisure" (2010). Graduate Research Papers. 4332.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/grp/4332
Comments
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