Facts about teens

Drinking

• Teens’ involvement with alcohol increases steadily as they mature.
• Younger teens are more likely than older teens to drink because of peer pressure.
• Older teens are more likely than younger teens to drink to escape problems.
• High Sense of Self teens are particularly resistant to peer pressure to drink.
• Teens who are alcohol Repeaters and Experimenters are much more likely than teens who are alcohol Avoiders to have immediate family members who drink a lot.

Drug Use

• The most commonly used drug among teens is marijuana.
• Younger teens are more likely than older teens to use drugs to feel grown up.
• Older teens are more likely than younger teens to use drugs because of stress.
• High Sense of Self teens are considerably less likely than other teens to be susceptible to peer pressure to use drugs.
• Low Sense of Self teens are more likely than are high Sense of Self teens to use drugs to escape from or forget about problems.
• Low Sense of Self teens are more likely to have friends who use drugs.

Sex

• About half of teens have engaged in some sexual activity other than kissing.
• Teens’ motivations for having sex do not vary widely by age.
• The most common reasons for teens to have sex are to strengthen the relationship with a partner and to have fun.
• High Sense of Self teens are more resistant to peer pressure when it comes to decisions about sex and are more likely to refuse an offer to have sex.
• Low Sense of Self teens are more likely than high Sense of Self teens to cite boredom and depression as reasons to have sex.
• Low Sense of Self teens are more likely than high Sense of Self teens to associate sex with negative emotional outcomes such as depression or loss of self-respect.
• Girls are more likely than boys to link sex with loss of self-respect and depression.

Drinking and Drugs

• Teens who avoid drinking and drugs are more likely to have a favorable self-image.
• One of the most common reasons to avoid drinking or using drugs is to please parents.
• Low Sense of Self teens are more likely to feel strongly that it is okay to drive after drinking or using drugs.
• Drug and alcohol Repeaters are particularly likely to have friends who drink or use drugs a lot.

Drinking, Drugs, Sex and Driving

• Teens who choose to avoid potentially destructive behaviors are considerably more inclined than those who do not to view drinking, drugs and sex as very harmful for someone their age.
• Substance Avoiders are more likely to associate specific negative outcomes, such as loss of parent trust, increase risk of auto accidents, chance of risky sexual behaviors and increased risk of poor academic performance, with drinking.

Parents and Teens

• The quality of parent-teen relationships is likely to play a critical role in determining teens’ mood and, thus, their susceptibility to destructive decision-making.
• Teens whose parents set guidelines for their behaviors are more inclined to feel positively about themselves and to avoid drinking and using drugs.
• High Sense of Self teens are more likely than other teens to communicate openly and honestly with their parents and to describe themselves as close to their parents.
• Low Sense of Self teens are particularly likely to feel that they spend an insufficient amount of time with their parents.
• Younger teens are significantly more likely than are older teens to say that their relationship with their parents makes them feel very good about themselves.
• Teens who avoid drinking and drugs are more likely to have positive relationships with parents.