|
Gina Addis, SADD
(617) 348-4413 |
Laura Barrett, LIME
(212) 352-4520 |
STUDY
SHATTERS "MYTH OF INEVITABILITY"
REGARDING TEEN DRINKING, DRUG USE AND SEX
SADD/Liberty
Mutual Research Reveals
Parents Have More Influence Than They May Think
BOSTON
(January 8, 2002) –
Parents play a critical role in guiding their children’s decisions
regarding drinking, drinking and driving, drug use and sex, according
to new research conducted by SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions/Students
Against Driving Drunk) and Liberty Mutual Group. The Teens Today
study results released today reveal that, contrary to the popular "myth
of inevitability," such behaviors are not unavoidable rites of
passage in teen life. The Teens Today report also suggests strategies
that parents can employ to help keep their children safe.
Significantly, this original research reveals psychographic profiles
reflecting behavioral trends among teens. Three specific decision types
emerged among the 500 teens surveyed, reflecting the degree to which
they choose to engage in destructive and potentially destructive activities.
These decision types, "Avoiders," "Experimenters,"
and "Repeaters," were heavily influenced by parental attitudes
and behavior. Teen decision types are defined as follows:
- Avoiders
- Tend to avoid destructive decision-making
- Experimenters
- Tend to occasionally engage in destructive decision-making
- Repeaters
- Tend to regularly engage in destructive decision-making
"These
findings offer encouragement to parents to continue to talk to their
teens about good decision-making," said Stephen Wallace, chairman
and chief executive officer of the national SADD organization. "We’ve
shattered the ‘myth of inevitability’ that so often mirrors
parents’ attitudes about teen behavior and their uncertainty about
being able to influence decision-making."
According to the study, many parents either do not believe that their
teen participates in destructive behaviors or think that such behaviors
are a normal part of growing up. Many also believe that there is little,
if anything, they can do to influence teen choices. For example:
- More
than half (53 percent) of parents agree that drinking is a part of
growing up and that teens will drink no matter what.
- Approximately
one quarter (22 percent) of parents say they let their teens make
their own decisions regarding drinking.
- More
than one third (37 percent) allow their teens to make their own decisions
regarding sex.
Yet
the data suggests that parents can take an active role in determining
which decision type their teen is likely to resemble. Specifically,
the Teens Today research included these findings:
- Avoiders
are more likely than Repeaters to say they have open and honest communication
with their parents (80 percent vs. 68 percent);
- Teens
who have open and honest communication with their parents are more
likely than those who do not to say that their parents’ methods
of preventing them from using drugs are effective
(96 percent vs. 81 percent);
- Teens
who have open and honest communication with their parents are more
likely than those who do not to say their parents influence their
decisions about sexual activity (31 percent vs. 21 percent); and
- Teens
who have open communication with their parents are significantly more
likely than those who do not to say that punishment has kept them
from doing the same thing again
(80 percent vs. 46 percent).
"The
important message for parents is that ‘you do make a difference,’"
stated John Conners, executive vice president and manager of Liberty
Mutual’s personal insurance operations. "In the face of media
and peer pressure, many parents feel their role in influencing their
children’s choices is marginalized. Clearly, this is not the case."
Indeed, the Teens Today report amplifies prior SADD/Liberty Mutual
research indicating the importance of parent-child communication in
teen decision-making and reinforces the influence parents can have by
conveying their expectations for teen behavior. This new data reveals
that:
- Repeaters
are significantly less likely than Experimenters or Avoiders to say
that it is important to them to live up to their parents’ expectations
regarding drinking, sex and drugs (see following Chart 1);
- Teens
who have open communication with their parents are significantly more
likely to try to live up to their parents’ expectations; and
- Teens
who do not have open communication with their parents are significantly
more likely than those who do to say that they wish their communication
with parents were different (37 percent vs. 20 percent).
Chart
1:
The Teens Today research also suggests that parents who adopt
"zero tolerance" attitudes about destructive decision-making
by their teens may be more effective in helping their children avoid
trouble.
- Avoiders
and Experimenters are significantly more likely than Repeaters to
say that their parents do not tolerate drinking, drug use or sex (see
following Chart 2).
Chart
2:
Teens themselves offered specific advice for parents as to how they
might best help their children make healthy choices.
- Initiate
dialogue about decision-making.
- Stay
up until teens return home.
- Enforce
curfews.
- Require
that teens sleep at home.
- Call
friends’ parents to ensure supervision.
- Ask
teens to "check in" by phone during the evening.
- Enforce
consequences for misbehavior.
According
to Penelope Wells, SADD president and executive director, "All
of this data strongly reinforces how important a role parents can play
in shaping teen attitudes and behavior. Parents who vigorously embrace
that role are less likely to have teens who make destructive decisions."
SADD, Inc. (Students Against Destructive Decisions/Students Against
Driving Drunk) sponsors peer-to-peer education and prevention programs
in middle schools and high schools nationwide.
Liberty Mutual Group is one of the largest multi-line insurers in the
property and casualty industry. Offering a wide range of products and
services, including private passenger auto and homeowners insurance,
Liberty Mutual Group employs 37,000 people in more than 900 offices
throughout the world.
###
Editor’s
Notes:
- SADD
and Liberty Mutual make available a number of important family communication
tools:
- SADD’s
Contract for Life and "Opening Lifesaving Lines" brochure
- SADD’s
Family Focus speakers program
- Liberty
Mutual’s "Avoiding Collisions: How to Survive the Teenage
Driving Years" video and brochure
- SADD/Liberty
Mutual "Guidelines for Good Family Communication"
For
more information or to receive materials, contact:
SADD, Inc.
255 Main Street
Marlborough, MA 01752
1-877-SADD-INC
www.sadd.org
Liberty
Mutual Group
1-800-4-LIBERTY
www.libertymutualinsurance.com
###
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