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This present research reveals how beer advertising affects adolescents' knowledge of beer brands, drinking attitudes, and drinking behaviors. In addition to traditional psychological approaches for measuring media effects on alcohol-related behaviors and attitudes, market research advertising tracking methods were included to permit a clearer and more complete picture of the effects of beer advertising on young people. Seventh through twelfth grade students (N=1,588) attending mandatory health classes in midwestern suburban schools and eastern urban schools participated in the study. Correlation analyses were conducted to determine whether the amount of money spent advertising beer brands in 1998 and 1999 strongly predicted adolescents' brand awareness, preference, and highest brand loyalty among adolescents. Regression analyses were also conducted to determine the predictors of students' intention to drink beer after they turned 21 and to determine the predictors of students' actual drinking behaviors. The pattern of results showed that the media and advertisements are significant predictors, and perhaps the most significant predictor of adolescents' knowledge and preference for beer brands, drinking behaviors, brand loyalty, and intentions to drink. (Contains 2 figures, 2 tables, 1 appendix, and 40 references.) (Author/JDM)

Case studies of African American youth with conduct disorder were examined in the context of a descriptive evaluation of co-occurring substance-related problems and mental disorders. The purpose of this study was to extend the findings of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) study of the National Institute of Mental Health into the area of comorbid assaultive violence and to evaluate recommendations made by J. D. Yoder and A. S. Kahn (1993) for noncomparative and descriptive research designs. Case records of 257 male youth offenders, aged 12-17 years, were reviewed. Variables were documented alcohol- or drug-related problems, referrals or counseling for emotional problems, and incidents of interpersonal violence. Half of these participants had at least one prior offense, and 14% were adjudicated for drug-related offenses not related to alcohol. Thirty-three percent had a history of violent crime. Subjects with an alcohol problem were 18 times more likely to have a co-occurring drug problem, 10 times more likely to have a co-occurring drug-related or mental health problem, and 5 times more likely to have an emotional problem than subjects without a history of alcohol-related difficulties. However, there was no indication of comorbidity of any of these disorders with assaultive violence. Substance-related and mental disorders may share some common pathways, but the mechanisms underlying interpersonal violence appear to be different. (Contains 32 references.) (SLD)

This study sought to investigate the factors that predict alcohol drinking among African-American children of alcoholics (COA). The instruments used were: (1) the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (J. Jones, 1981); (2) the Adolescent Alcohol Involvement Scale (J. Mayer and W. Filstead, 1979); and (3) the New York Self-Esteem Scale (M. Rosenberg, 1965). Participants were 649 adolescents, aged 12 to 19, 42% male, who were recruited from youth-serving organizations. Fifty-two percent of these adolescents were alcohol drinkers, and 15% of these misused alcohol, representing only 2.3% of the overall sample. One out of four adolescents was classified as COA, representing 27% of the alcohol users. Age, self-esteem, and being COA were strong predictors of alcohol drinking. Gender did not have any bearing on being COA, and the effect of gender on drinking was the same for COAs and nonCOAs. The proportion of COAs involved in drinking was significantly higher for COAs. In fact, age, self-esteem, and the status of COA/nonCOA were predictors of alcohol involvement. (Contains 3 tables and 33 references.) (Author/SLD)

This study examines the stages of acquisition of "gateway" drug use among fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students at 11 elementary schools in Arkansas. A 109-item questionnaire, administered in the classrooms by the classroom teachers, solicited information about the stages of acquisition and the subjects' use of alcohol, smokeless tobacco, cigarettes, and marijuana, as well as demographic information. Complete data were collected from 464 students. Of respondents, 77.4 percent were white. Results were analyzed within stages of use defined as: precontemplation 1--those who had not tried the substance and were not planning to; contemplation--those who had not tried the substance but were planning on trying it sometime; precontemplation 2--those who had tried the substance but were not planning to try it again; initiation--those who had tried the substance and/or were planning on trying it in the next 30 days; action--those who had used the substance regularly for up to 6 months; maintenance--those who had been using the substance for 6 months or longer; and habit change--those who had been using the substance regularly for at least 6 months and were thinking of stopping. Some of the findings were: (1) for alcohol use, 61 percent were in the precontemplation 1 stage, 24.1 percent in the precontemplation 2 stage, and 8.2 percent in the initiation stage; (2) for smokeless tobacco, 71.6 percent were in the precontemplation 1 stage, 2.4 percent in the contemplation stage, and 15.9 percent in the contemplation 2 stage; (3) for cigarettes, 80.8 percent indicated the precontemplation 1 stage, 1.3 percent the contemplation stage, 9.1 percent the precontemplation 2 stage, and 3.9 the initiation stage; (4) for marijuana, 93.5 percent indicated the precontemplation 1 stage, 0.4 percent the contemplation stage, and 0.9 percent the precontemplation stage. The conclusion is that the Stages of Acquisition of Gateway Drug Use model may be a useful tool for examining drug use among upper elementary school students. (Contains 12 references.) (JB)

This study addressed the hypothesis that intentions to use condoms are affected by alcohol intoxication. Recruited for this research were 54 male students, who indicated on a pretest that they were sexually active, usually used condoms, and were social drinkers. Subjects were divided into groups of two or three and then randomly assigned to the sober (n=24, no alcohol consumed) or the intoxicated (n=30, blood alcohol limit of 0.08 percent) condition. Each group watched a video vignette depicting a couple faced with the decision of whether or not to have unprotected sexual intercourse. Each participant then answered a questionnaire devised to assess subjects' predicted intentions to engage in sexual intercourse if they were in the situation presented in the video. Results indicated that intoxicated subjects had more positive intentions to engage in sex without a condom and were more likely to endorse items justifying the decision to do so than did sober subjects. The findings were interpreted in terms of "alcohol myopia"--the notion that alcohol decreases cognitive capacity so that an individual attended only to the most salient cues of a situation. (RJM)

In response to public health concerns and the adverse health consequences of alcohol abuse, a national sample of junior and senior high school (7th through 12th grade) students (N=956) was surveyed to determine how they obtained, viewed, and consumed alcohol. Based on the findings it was estimated that: (1) 51% of junior and senior high school students have had at least one drink within the past year; (2) junior and senior high school students drink 35% of all wine coolers sold in the United States and 1.1 billion cans of beer each year; (3) more than 5 million students have binged; 3 million within the last month; 450,000 binge at least once a week; (4) more than 3 million students drink alone, more than 4 million drink when they are upset, and less than 3 million drink because they are bored; (5) students lack essential knowledge about alcohol and its effects; (6) 9 million students received their information about alcohol from unreliable sources; (7) 7 million students are able to walk into a store and buy alcohol; (8) students accept rides from friends who had been drinking; and (9) parents, friends, and alcoholic beverage advertisements influence students' attitudes about alcohol. (The weighting procedure used for estimating is described in the appendix.) (BHK)

In response to public health concerns and the adverse health consequences of alcohol abuse, a national sample of junior and senior high school (7th through 12th grade) students (N=956) was surveyed to determine their knowledge about alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from stores close to each school were purchased, and displayed during the interview. Each student was asked whether each beverage did or did not contain alcohol, which contained the most alcohol simply by looking at the bottles, and which contained the most alcohol after reading the labels. A high alcohol-content fortified wine was included in all interviews regardless of whether it was locally available. Findings indicated: (1) two out of three students were not able to distinguish alcoholic beverages from non-alcoholic beverages; (2) in most states, beer and other malt beverage labels did not disclose alcohol content; (3) the alcohol content of beverages was a mystery to students; and (4) more than a third of all students did not that know that the high-fortified wine previously mentioned contained alcohol. Recommendations are made that the Surgeon General should work with the beverage industry, State, and Federal officials to improve the labeling and packaging of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; and, consult with public and private agencies to develop, improve, and promote educational programs which would increase student awareness of alcoholic beverages and their effects. (BHK)

This paper reviews several studies on preschoolers' perceptions of alcohol and drug use. The studies make five main points: (1) the process of socialization to alcohol and drug involvement begins earlier than adolescence, and involves the ability to identify alcohol and drugs by name, class, and smell; (2) the process of socialization involves children's ability to articulate differences between alcohol and drugs, and other substances which only adults use; (3) knowledge of the rule structure about alcohol use already exists during the preschool years; (4) some preschoolers are able to articulate a belief structure about drug effects and describe expectancies about their future use and their like or dislike of drug substances; and (5) individual differences in children's learning about alcohol and drugs are related to differences in cognitive capacity and exposure to alcoholic beverages in children's homes. Children's knowledge of drugs and alcohol is characterized as a cognitive schema about use which (1) involves recognizing a special class of objects having particular smells; (2) is governed by a rule structure, perceived to vary for age and sex; (3) disallows children's use of substances; and (4) allows for incorporation of substance use into children's anticipated future behavior and sense of self as adults. A list of 22 references is provided. (BC)

Studies show that the percentage of women in the United States who drink, has remained stable over the last several decades. However, patterns in female drinking have changed, indicating a trend toward higher rates of heavy/frequent drinking among young women. Negative attitudes toward female intoxication still prevail and a double standard persists: intoxicated women are perceived as "worse" than intoxicated men. Theories about why women abuse alcohol include genetic endowment, inadequate coping mechanisms, depressed affect, problems in impulse control, traumatic events and losses, and heavy drinking persons in their environment. Alcoholic women are a heterogeneous group and they exhibit some differences from male alcoholics including: (1) women more frequently report a positive family history; (2) the process of becoming an alcoholic is of shorter duration; (3) the woman's mate is more likely to be a heavy/problem drinker than the male alcoholic's mate; (4) marital disruption is more likely; (5) the combination of alcohol and psychoactive medication is more usual; and (6) it is thought women encounter more barriers in seeking help. Financial problems, child care responsibilities, family pressures, and social stigma create some of the barriers women encounter, but once in treatment, it is believed that a woman's prognosis is similar to a man's. (RJM)

This study attempted to validate the characteristics of adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) as presented by Woititz (1983). Male (N=52) and female (N=94) college students completed the Personality Research Form, a 352-item measure of personality variables; the Responsibility and Social Adroitness Scales of the Jackson Personality Inventory; the Imposter Phenomenon Scale; and a questionnaire designed to provide demographic information and answer questions concerning their own and their parents' drinking behavior. Based on these self-report instruments, subjects were determined to be either an ACOA, a non-ACOA, or an individual that had been in an ACOA treatment group. Based on these personality measures, groups were compared on 12 of Woititz' 13 characteristics of ACOAs. No significant differences were found among the groups on any of the characteristics measured. The results severely question the validity of these characteristics. (The dangers of employing these characteristics in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals are discussed. Data are tabulated and references are included.) (TE)

This report presents findings from a study of the effects of televised beer commercials on fifth and sixth grade children (N=468), aged 10-13 years. Each child was interviewed in-person at his or her home. The findings indicated: (1) most children are frequently exposed to beer commercials on television; (2) children's skepticism of television beer commercials was significantly lower among those with the highest level of attention to the commercials; (3) children's beliefs about social aspects of beer consumption, and ritual aspects regarding beer consumption being cool and macho, were significantly related to their attention to beer commercials; (4) most children had moderate to high expectations to drink as an adult and higher drinking expectations were significantly related to exposure to beer commercials, recognition of commercials, recall of the brands advertised, and beliefs about the positive social and ritual use of beer; (5) boys were much more likely than girls to recognize televized beer commercials and to have positive beliefs about beer consumption; (6) boys were significantly more likely to believe that beer commericals "tell the truth" while girls were more likely to believe that beer advertising "tries to get kids to drink;" and (7) boys were significantly more likely than girls to expect to drink when they become adults. (BHK)

The Texas School Survey of Substance Abuse, which has been administered twice, and which covered grades seven through twelve, was expanded for the 1990 survey to encompass grades four to six. The students were surveyed on their use of tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, and marijuana. The most widely used substances were alcohol and tobacco, with inhalants third in prevalence and marijuana fourth. Substance use is lower in grades four through six than in secondary grades, with younger students about one-half as likely to report experimentation with alcohol and inhalants and almost one-third as likely to have used tobacco. Secondary students are about ten times more likely to have used marijuana than elementary grade students. Grade level, ethnicity, urbanicity, gender, academic performance, and family structure are all associated with the use of drugs or alcohol by elementary students. The sixth grade in particular marks a substantial increase in substance use compared to fourth and fifth grades; over one-half of sixth-graders have tried alcohol. Although prevalence in the elementary grades seemed quite low compared to secondary students, many students are first exposed to drugs and alcohol in elementary school. Interestingly, survey results indicate that fourth and fifth graders actually receive more education about substance use than sixth graders, with schools seeming to concentrate on early prevention programs. This may be a questionable strategy since widespread experimentation seems to begin in sixth grade. (CC)

Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is one of the few alcohols that humans can drink. This alcohol is a byproduct of yeast's reaction with the sugars in fruit or vegetable juice and the process stops naturally with about an 11 to 14 percent alcoholic concentration, although distillation can greatly increase the alcoholic content. Once ingested, most alcohol passes into the small intestines and then into the bloodstream. The body disposes of alcohol in two ways: (1) elimination through the lungs and kidneys; and (2) oxidation. The latter process removes 90 percent of the alcohol and the liver plays a major role in this mechanism. The liver, though, can only oxidize a certain amount of alcohol every hour so individuals are advised to drink slowly. Alcohol's effect depends on a variety of factors, including: (1) how one feels before drinking; (2) what the drinker expects alcohol to do; (3) how much one drinks; (4) how long one takes to drink; (5) the type of alcoholic beverage; (6) the size of the drinker; (7) food in the stomach; and (8) experience in using alcoholic beverages. The effects of alcohol are directly related to the concentration of alcohol in the blood. The first brain function to be impaired is usually one's ability to think and make decisions, followed by decreased motor function. In many states a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .10% is considered legal evidence that a driver is intoxicated. Some states use a BAC of 0.08% and in some European countries the legal BAC is 0.05%. (RJM)

Presents a case-control study of the association between nearly lethal suicide attempts and facets of alcohol consumption; namely, drinking frequency, drinking quantity, binge drinking, alcoholism, drinking within 3 hours of suicide attempt, and age began drinking. In bivariate analyses, all measures were associated with nearly lethal suicide attempts. (Contains 22 references and 3 tables.) (BF)

Reports on focus group discussions with managers, bartenders, waitstaff, and security staff of retail alcohol establishments. Purpose of the focus groups was to identify beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, and practices among management and staff to guide development of training programs. Results indicate that, compared to management, staff had received more training and felt greater responsibility for patron behavior. (Contains 18 references.) (Author/GCP)

A review of research on the correlation between the intake of alcohol and creativity hypothesizes that modest alcohol consumption inhibits aspects of creativity based mainly on the secondary process (preparation, certain parts of illumination, and verification), and disinhibits those based mainly on the primary process (incubation, certain parts of illumination, and restitution). (Author/CR)

This study explored how motor sports sponsorships complement and amplify the brewers' media campaigns by joining masculinity, risk, excitement, and beer in the actual "lived" experiences of potential consumers. To document industry expenditures and justifications for motor sports sponsorship, trade journals and newsletters (N=25) and other public documents were examined. A research team attended 14 motor sports events sponsored by the beer industry in Northern California over a 6-month period during 1989 to gather evidence of how the events forge a link between fast cars and beer. Finally, using standard focus group methods, more than 60 students from a nearby high school were interviewed about their attendance at motor sports events, and their attitudes toward motor sports, cars in general, and drinking and driving. Findings showed that of all industry sponsors, brewers were second only to the tobacco industry in amount spent; sports received the largest share of sponsorship dollars; motor sports received the most sponsorship money of all types of sports; the brewing industry spent more than $180 million during 1987 on sports sponsorship; and the annual growth of sponsorship was expected to be triple that of advertising. (A number of specific guidelines for advertising and responsible beverage service at such events are enumerated.) (BHK)

This informational book on alcohol is part of a series of three interactive books on tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana; three informational books containing parallel content; and three teacher guides designed to give students in grades five through eight practice in using the information and skills presented in the books. The goal of this book and the accompanying interactive book and teacher guide is to prevent alcohol use by preadolescents. This book discusses the physical and psychological effects of alcohol and explains why young people should avoid drinking alcoholic beverages. It describes the trouble with alcohol, explains what an alcoholic drink is, discusses how many drinks make a person drunk, describes how alcohol can make a person feel, and discusses what alcohol can do to the body. Next it considers who drinks alcohol and how much they drink, explains addiction to alcohol, discusses who may be an alcoholic, talks about adolescents who drink, and examines the cost of alcoholic problems. It explains why some young people are tempted to drink and notes that some teenagers never want to drink. Finally, it explains ways to say "no" to alcohol and reminds students that the decision to drink is their choice to make. (NB)

A mailed survey was conducted of the drinking practices of students at the University of Minnesota. Responses were received from 402 of the 496 individuals in a random sample of students at the Twin Cities campus. Key findings include: (1) the majority of students, 56 percent of the men and 61 percent of the women, were classed as moderate drinkers; (2) among the male respondents, 24 percent were judged to be heavy drinkers and 10 percent were estimated to be potential problem drinkers; (3) among female respondents 10 percent were classed as heavy drinkers, while 5 percent were estimated to be potential problem drinkers; and (4) for both sexes the proportions of heavy drinkers and estimated potential problem drinkers did not differ from 1964 national norms. (Author)

This document contains the reports of research at a symposium on "Altered States of Consciousness and Alcohol." The participants primarily agreed that alcohol induces an altered state of consciousness similar to other drugs, but that this phenomenon has not been explicitly stated due to the current interest in newer and more novel drugs. The presentations included in this report are: (1) Objective and Subjective Effects of Alcohol on the Ascending and Descending Limbs of the Blood Alcohol Curve; (2) Alcohol and Secobarbital: Altered States of Consciousness Assessed by an Information Processing Approach; (3) Brain Damage in Alcoholics: Altered States of Consciousness; (4) Physiologic Concomitants of the Alcohol State: Arousal or Relaxation; (5) Biological Rhythms and Alcohol Effects: Altered Rhythms of Consciousness; and (6) Voluntary Control of Blood Alcohol Levels: An Attempt to Manipulate States of Consciousness. The report concludes with a general discussion on alcohol and its effects on the body. (Author/PC)