TY - JOUR
T1 - Perspectives on adolescent alcohol use and consideration of future consequences: results from a qualitative study
AU - Harvey, Séamus A.
AU - McKay, Michael T.
PY - 2016/1/27
Y1 - 2016/1/27
N2 - Consideration of future consequences (CFC) is described as the attention that individuals pay to the potential outcomes of their behaviour, and how their behaviour is affected as a result of attention to these outcomes. Greater CFC has been associated with less alcohol use, thus indicating its potential utility in health-promotion initiatives. A focus group methodology was employed with 13–14 year olds (N = 129) in 16 high schools in Northern Ireland and Scotland to attain their thoughts on how adolescents in general consider the future consequences of alcohol consumption; and to provide some clarity on the nature of CFC and whether it is singular or dichotomous in nature (i.e. do individuals distinguish between immediate and long-term consequences and are they influenced by these in different ways). The participants indicated that the majority of adolescents do not consider the consequences of alcohol consumption at all; while to a lesser extent, some adolescents consider the consequences but ignore them. If adolescents do refrain from alcohol, immediate consequences are more influential in their decision-making than long-term consequences. These findings should help to inform and guide the development and delivery of health-promotion initiatives, and provide some clarity about the nature of CFC and the manner in which the construct should be examined or utilised during future research.
AB - Consideration of future consequences (CFC) is described as the attention that individuals pay to the potential outcomes of their behaviour, and how their behaviour is affected as a result of attention to these outcomes. Greater CFC has been associated with less alcohol use, thus indicating its potential utility in health-promotion initiatives. A focus group methodology was employed with 13–14 year olds (N = 129) in 16 high schools in Northern Ireland and Scotland to attain their thoughts on how adolescents in general consider the future consequences of alcohol consumption; and to provide some clarity on the nature of CFC and whether it is singular or dichotomous in nature (i.e. do individuals distinguish between immediate and long-term consequences and are they influenced by these in different ways). The participants indicated that the majority of adolescents do not consider the consequences of alcohol consumption at all; while to a lesser extent, some adolescents consider the consequences but ignore them. If adolescents do refrain from alcohol, immediate consequences are more influential in their decision-making than long-term consequences. These findings should help to inform and guide the development and delivery of health-promotion initiatives, and provide some clarity about the nature of CFC and the manner in which the construct should be examined or utilised during future research.
KW - Consideration of future consequences
KW - alcohol use
KW - adolescent
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84958041446&doi=10.1080%2f13575279.2015.1126230&partnerID=40&md5=868c7023ee3df14ce39b63c14d245a3c
U2 - 10.1080/13575279.2015.1126230
DO - 10.1080/13575279.2015.1126230
M3 - Article
SN - 1357-5279
VL - 23
SP - 104
EP - 120
JO - Child Care in Practice
JF - Child Care in Practice
IS - 1
ER -