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…

Purpose: The consequences of problematic alcohol consumption fall heavily on Australian adolescents, with this population at increased risk of death, serious injury and other harm. Research regarding whether gender, socioeconomic status (SES) or locality play a role in young people's alcohol consumption and related harm is limited in Australia.…

Background: The school is a primary context for social interaction, cultivation of interpersonal skills, formation of peer groups, self-expression, and development of self. Several studies have demonstrated that the social context of the school has important implications for determining the likelihood that an adolescent will follow a prosocial…