What about just saying 'no'? Situational abstinence from alcohol at parties among 13-15 year olds

摘要

Despite the fact that alcohol use by adolescents is publicly discouraged, alcohol plays an important role as a mediator of relationships between adolescents, and in the process of their becoming adults. Here I introduce the concept of situational abstinence - refusing alcohol in certain situations while consuming it in others - which offers a good alternative for maintaining and developing social relationships and is therefore used by adolescents at parties and other occasions. In this study, I analyse Estonian adolescents' situational abstinence and their narratives regarding the possibilities of abstinence at parties where peers consume alcohol. The study uses social practise theory, which conceptualises social practise as a basic unit of social processes, seeing it as a recognisable pattern of action embedded in culture, with social actors acting as carriers of practise. Small-group interviews were conducted with 49 Estonian eighth grade students (13-15 years old), with the focus being on capturing their narratives about refusing alcohol. The results suggest that in adolescent party culture, the practise of situational abstinence exists, but is suppressed, especially during the preparatory phase of parties. Encouraging the sharing of narratives about situational abstinence could be an effective means of alcohol prevention.