Fathers Lack Confidence Talking to Teens About Alcohol

Media release
For immediate release
Thursday December 8 2016

Fathers Lack Confidence When Talking to Their Teens About Drinking Alcohol

Fathers find it harder than mothers to talk to their kids about drinking alcohol, according to new research released today.

New research – conducted by Cheers! – an industry-funded public education campaign – shows that parent gender is the most prominent difference that impacts on the conversation with teens about drinking, and dads are lagging behind mothers.

“It’s vital fathers step up and talk to their kids about drinking,” says Matt Claridge, Executive Director of The Tomorrow Project – the organisation that oversees Cheers!

“Talking makes a big difference and all parents need to be onboard. Being consistent in your messages and modelling responsible drinking behaviour are effective ways to influence your teens to become responsible drinkers."

The research identifies two large segments, that are best characterised as mothers who drink occasionally (40%), and fathers who drink regularly (39%).

Mums are confident and influential because they are well informed, model responsible drinking behaviour, set clear guidelines and expectations and believe their behaviour has a great deal of influence on their child’s attitude to alcohol.

On the other hand, Dads are cautious, less informed and lack confidence around how to approach the conversation. They don’t believe it important to delay drinking alcohol till age 18 – despite research showing teenagers should avoid being introduced to alcohol for as long as possible as alcohol can disrupt brain development.

“In reality, dads don’t want to change their drinking habits or negatively impact on their relationship with their teens. They approach the conversation as a big event, which can result in a negative impact on their relationship,” says Mr Claridge.

“Teenagers encounter an extraordinary amount of peer pressure, so knowing they can rely on their parents to listen, guide, and be a voice of authority and reason, the safer they’ll feel. I ask parents like myself to step up, have the conversation, and set clear guidelines.”

Information and advice around how to talk to teenagers about alcohol can be found online at cheers.org.nz.

The Tomorrow Project was founded in 2012 and is committed to helping to create a safe and responsible drinking culture in New Zealand through evidenced-based, targeted interventions that address the reasons behind problem drinking.

ENDS

Segmenting parents and the conversations they have with their children about drinking alcohol

A national survey of 994 parents and carers of children aged 15-21 years (inclusive) was analysed based on data relating to the attitudes of one parent in the context of their attitudes and conversations with one child.

The detailed survey built on the insights gained from recent qualitative research into the range of parenting philosophies and how parents talk to their children about alcohol.

Findings:
• Having good conversations about drinking alcohol is very important to most parents (57%). It is more important for parents of children under 18 yrs (67% very important) than those with children over 18 yrs (50% very important).
• Roughly one in five (21%) are yet to discuss alcohol or do so only rarely.
• Most parents discuss alcohol occasionally (52%) with around a quarter (27%) having conversations often or very often.
• Mums tend to be both more frequent (30% often or very often versus 21% for Dads) and more proactive (41% proactive versus 26% for Dads).
• Most parents (81%) do believe their conversations are having at least some influence on their child (however only 35% believe they have a great deal of influence, while 46% believe they have some influence).
• Most parents (82%) believe their own drinking behaviours are having at least some influence (with 49% believing their behaviours have a great deal of influence and 34% believing they have some influence)
• Almost all parents are at least somewhat confident that their children are developing healthy and responsible attitudes to alcohol with 93% being either somewhat confident (21%), confident (34%) or very confident (38%) that this is occurring.

Girls versus boys:
• Parents believe good conversations are more important to have with girls (62% believe it is very important) as opposed to boys (53% believe it is very important).
• Conversations are easier to have with girls than boys (56% of parents say they are very easy with girls versus 46% with boys).

Mums versus Dads:
• Mums believe good conversations are more important than Dads (64% of Mums say good conversations are very important compared to only 44% of Dads)
• Mums find it easier than Dads to have conversations about drinking (55% of mums find it very easy compared to 44% of Dads).
• Mums are also more confident they are taking the right approach (40% of Mums are very confident compared to 30% of Dads).
• Mums believe it is more important to delay drinking until 18 years compared to Dads (Very important for 30% of Mums compared to 21% of Dads.
• Mums are more knowledgeable about the impacts of alcohol on young people compared to Dad’s (57% of Mums rate their knowledge as very good compared to Dads at 43%).

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