The age of drinking onset among youths has been decreasing over the years in Korea, and regular alcohol use is on the rise. Heavy or risky alcohol use in early age can result in adverse effects. These include poor academic performance, emotional problems leading to depression and aggressive behavior, and poor interpersonal relationships with others that may continue to their adulthood. The purpose of this study is to examine factors that influence risky drinking among Korean adolescents, and to compare these factors between different age groups, namely middle and high school students. A stratified national sample of 1,420 middle school students and 1,312 high school students were included in the study. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire that inquired about drinking frequency and quantity, peer drinking, parent attitude toward drinking, and health belief. Study results showed that peer drinking frequency and individual health belief were influential factors for drinking frequency for both adolescent groups, but parental attitude was influential only for the middle school students and gender was a significant factor only for the high school group. Second, peer drinking was a predicting factor for alcohol consumption for both groups, and parental attitude and health belief predicted alcohol consumption for the younger group and gender predicted that for the older group. Third, 7.7% and 40.2% of middle and high school students, respectively, engaged in risky drinking (consuming more than 5 drinks), and for both groups peer drinking frequency was found to be an influential factor. The study findings indicated that different factors influence drinking behavior between two groups, and suggest the need for early prevention programs as well as differentiated program foci specific to each age group
Full paper download: Kim S_alcohol use among Korean adolescents.pdf