”… if there's a party, then there's definitely alcohol”. Construction of partying practices and abstinence in Estonian youth forums:

摘要

AimsAdolescents' abstinence from alcohol has not been much researched in terms of providing suggestions for prevention strategies. This study aims to fill that gap by offering a practice theory-inspired analysis of how the unwritten rules of partying practices are communicated between posters of Estonian youth forums.Data–These forums are novel objects of analysis in research on teenagers' alcohol use, and the article shares some topical experiences.ResultsThe findings of the analysis show that non-drinking at teenagers' alcohol-related social gatherings is generally communicated as a non-tolerated individual performance that is seen to erode the whole collective partying practice. Young people therefore suggest in forums various mimicry strategies to justify non-drinking.ConclusionsThe article casts doubts about the efficiency of risk awareness raising and teaching individual skills in this context because they provide little help for those youngsters who have already been recruited into partying practic...