CORRELATES OF CHANGE IN ADOLESCENT ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION IN IRELAND - IMPLICATIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING INFLUENCES AND ENHANCING INTERVENTIONS

Studies of two similar cohorts of students in Ireland in 1984 and 1992 showed a dramatic increase in the consumption of alcohol, especially in the frequency with which students reported being drunk. A compariso n of measures obtained at both times showed that there were major chan ges with regard to beliefs about consequences of alcohol consumption i n a direction favorable to consumption as well as increases in the per ceived social support for drinking. However, there were no strong indi cations that changes in problem behavior were associated with the obse rved increases in drinking patterns. These results are supportive of s ome explanatory models of initiation to substance use and have associa ted implications for programs designed to reduce consumption.