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Teens crave independence, yet they lack self-control mechanisms that are still developing. They are unaware of how easily and quickly they can harm themselves with psychoactive substances, sometimes for a lifetime. While adults are conscious of this, do teenagers heed parental monitoring or even punishment? Researchers from the University of California, in collaboration with their colleagues from other American institutions, have found an answer to this question.
Their analysis was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
One Parental Monitoring: Two Behavior Mechanisms
Previous research has proven that teenagers are less likely to use substances when their parents are monitoring. This means that parents are aware of their children’s daily activities, where they are, and who they associate with. However, how exactly this control reduces the use of harmful substances has not been thoroughly studied.
The authors considered two behavior mechanisms of parents to safeguard their children from using substances. The first is to strengthen punishment: for example, grounding, confiscating smartphones, and so on. Numerous previous studies have concluded that fear of punishment primarily deters teenagers from substance use.
The second mechanism, which has not been previously considered, also involves being informed about the child’s affairs but not punishment. Following this principle, teenagers refrained from the possibility of consuming alcohol or drugs out of fear that their parents might find out.
These mechanisms are often combined in the same parents, but which one is more effective?
Surveyed Over 4,500 Teenagers from 12 US Communities
The results are based on responses from 4,503 American teenagers aged 11 to 15. 51% of them were girls. Participants were asked whether they had used substances in the last month and whether their parents found out about it.
The children also completed a parental monitoring questionnaire, which included four questions: how often parents knew their whereabouts; how often they knew how to contact their parents when they were home alone; how often they discussed their plans for the day with their parents; how often they had dinner together.
What Deters Teenagers from Substance Use
On average, 3.6% of children reported using substances in the last month. For most, these substances were alcohol (30%), nicotine (37%), or cannabis (16%). The prevalence of substance use increased with age, from 0.2% among 11-year-olds to 8.6% among 15-year-olds. In one-third of cases, parents found out about the substance use, yet there was no evidence that control helped in this regard.
Conversely, other children said that in the past month, they had planned or had the opportunity to drink or use drugs. However, they chose not to do so out of fear that their parents would find out. Researchers found that if not for these thoughts, substance use would have been 40% higher in the study group as a whole.
Monitoring or Attention?
According to researchers, their findings underscore the significance of parental actions when it comes to their children’s substance use.
Some parents think drinking or using drugs is something that kids are just going to do, no matter what. But that’s not true. Parents can make a difference.
William Pelham, lead researcher, assistant adjunct professor of psychiatry, University of California, San Diego
Pelham also emphasized limitations. According to him, this study focused on younger teenagers who did not use heavy substances. More serious problems with substance use require a different approach and sometimes external intervention.
However, when children have good relationships with their parents and do not want to risk them, the fear of parental disapproval can deter substance use. Here, parental behavior and the quality of communication with teenagers are crucial, not only in harmful habits. After all, overly strict parenting can even reinforce the risk of depression in a child’s DNA. Conversely, happy teenagers will have a healthier heart later in life.
