Adolescents’ Perceived Drinking Norms Toward Alcohol Misuse: An Integrative Review

• Published in: Western Journal of Nursing Research Vol. 44; no. 5; pp. 477 - 492
• Main Authors: Kantawong, Eakachai, Kao, Tsui-Sui Annie, Robbins, Lorraine B., Ling, Jiying, Anderson-Carpenter, Kaston D.
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-05-2022; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Adolescents; Advertisements; Alcohol abuse; Alcohol Drinking; Alcohol use; Alcoholism; Electronic media; Humans; Intention; Interpersonal relations; Peer Group; Social networks; Social norms; Teenagers; Underage Drinking; subjective norms; descriptive norms; peer; drinking patterns; drinking intention
• ISSN: 0193-9459; 1552-8456
• DOI: 10.1177/0193945921998376

The purpose of this integrative review is to synthesize prior research on the relationship between adolescents’ perceived subjective and descriptive drinking norms and their drinking intention and behaviors. Four databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane, and Sociological Abstracts) were searched to identify relevant articles. Thirty-one peer-reviewed articles published from 2010 to 2020 were reviewed. The results highlight that adolescents’ perceived drinking norms derived from their parents and peers, such as approving or disapproving attitudes, significantly influence adolescents’ drinking intention and behaviors. Moreover, pro-drinking messages, advertisements, and postings from electronic media (i.e., TV, movies, and the Internet) and online social networks (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) shape adolescents’ drinking intention and encourage adolescents to initiate alcohol consumption early and/or escalate their drinking. Thus, future interventions should focus on subjective drinking norms that stem from interpersonal relationships in combination with perceived descriptive drinking norms derived from various media exposure.