Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 9 Alcohol 287 Family Influence Families have their own attitudes, beliefs, and rules about alcohol use, which influence their children’s attitudes toward alcohol. Some parents or guardians may keep and drink alcohol in the home, but have rules about alcohol use to protect their children. Other parents or guardians may have strong beliefs about alcohol use, leading them not to allow any alcohol in the home. Unfortunately, some young people have parents or guardians with alcohol-use disorders (Figure 9.13). These parents or guardians may have a dependence on alcohol, which can be very difficult for young people. This experience may influence them to try alcohol or avoid alcohol completely. Young people who have parents or guardians with an alcohol-use disorder are more likely to develop one, too. Some young people, however, decide never to try alcohol because of how it affected their parents or guardians. Siblings can also affect how a young person feels about alcohol use. Young people often look up to older siblings as role models. If a young person’s older sibling uses and abuses alcohol, the young person may consider this acceptable and “cool” behavior. Peer Pressure Friends can also influence a young person’s alcohol use. People tend to drink more alcohol when they have friends who drink. This may be due to peer pressure. As you learned in Chapter 8, peer pressure is the influence that people your age have on your actions. Young people who drink may pressure their friends into trying alcohol. Aggressively pressuring someone to drink alcohol is a form of bullying. Real friends will not pressure you into engaging in unhealthy behaviors. Peer pressure can be indirect. Young people often believe that their peers are drinking. This may lead them to try alcohol to fit in with the “cool kids” they imagine are drinking. Young people may also view using alcohol as a way to seem older, but teens and young adults do not drink as much as you might think. In fact, many young people are often uncomfortable with alcohol use (Figure 9.14). threerocksimages/Shutterstock.com Figure 9.13 Having a parent or guardian with an alcohol-use disorder can cause stress and conflict for young people. It can also increase their risk of developing an alcohol- use disorder themselves. Why might an older sibling influence a young person's personal beliefs about alcohol use? iStock.com/FatCamera Figure 9.14 Despite common assumptions, most teens and young people do not drink alcohol even with their friends. What is the term for the influence people your age have on others their age?