Gabriel Caluzzi1, Michael Livingston1,2, John Holmes3, Sarah MacLean1,4, Dan Lubman5,6, Paul Dietze2,7, Rakhi Vashishtha1, Rachel Herring8, Amy Pennay1. 1. Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia. 2. National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. 3. School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. 4. School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia. 5. Turning Point, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 6. Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. 7. Behaviours and Health Risks Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 8. Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Middlesex University, London, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In the early 2000s, alcohol use among young people began to decline in many western countries, especially among adolescents (ages between 12-17 years old). These declines have continued steadily over the past two decades, against the backdrop of much smaller declines among the general population. ARGUMENT: Hypotheses examining individual factors fail adequately to provide the necessary 'big picture' thinking needed to understand declines in adolescent drinking. We use the normalisation thesis to argue that there is strong international evidence for both processes of denormalisation of drinking and normalisation of non-drinking occurring for adolescents in many western countries. CONCLUSIONS: Research on declining adolescent drinking provides evidence of both denormalisation of alcohol consumption and normalisation of non-drinking. This has implications for enabling policy environments more amenable to regulation and increasing the acceptability of non-drinking in social contexts. Normalisation theory (and its various interpretations) provides a useful multi-dimensional tool for understanding declines in adolescent drinking.
BACKGROUND: In the early 2000s, alcohol use among young people began to decline in many western countries, especially among adolescents (ages between 12-17 years old). These declines have continued steadily over the past two decades, against the backdrop of much smaller declines among the general population. ARGUMENT: Hypotheses examining individual factors fail adequately to provide the necessary 'big picture' thinking needed to understand declines in adolescent drinking. We use the normalisation thesis to argue that there is strong international evidence for both processes of denormalisation of drinking and normalisation of non-drinking occurring for adolescents in many western countries. CONCLUSIONS: Research on declining adolescent drinking provides evidence of both denormalisation of alcohol consumption and normalisation of non-drinking. This has implications for enabling policy environments more amenable to regulation and increasing the acceptability of non-drinking in social contexts. Normalisation theory (and its various interpretations) provides a useful multi-dimensional tool for understanding declines in adolescent drinking.
Authors: Jonas Raninen; Michael Livingston; Mats Ramstedt; Martina Zetterqvist; Peter Larm; Johan Svensson Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-01-31 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Gabriel Caluzzi; Michael Livingston; John Holmes; Sarah MacLean; Dan I Lubman; Paul Dietze; Rakhi Vashishtha; Rachel Herring; Amy Pennay Journal: Addiction Date: 2022-02-28 Impact factor: 7.256
Authors: Eva Samuelsson; Jukka Törrönen; Josefin Månsson; Filip Roumeliotis Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-03-17 Impact factor: 3.390