Precocità, fattori di rischio e di protezione alcol-correlati in un campione di pre-adolescenti italiani residenti in aree metropolitane

Summary Introduction. Underage alcohol initiation is common in Italy. Children experiment under parental supervision their first sip of alcoholic beverages. Precocious alcohol tasting in a family is judged a factor of mitigation of unwanted consequences. Existing evidence does not provide solid conclusion about outcomes later in life. Methods. A national sample of 1.180 lower secondary students (12-14 years) was interviewed in 2014 checking for first drinking experiences, subsequent drinking habits and alcohol-related attitudes. Results. Three causally shaped models emerge: 1) high consumption are mediated by frequency and by peers. Positive attitude towards alcohol normalize the idea that alcohol in moderation is unproblematic; 2) girls are more exposed to drunkenness if their peers get drunk; 3) a positive appreciation of the substance at the first experience confirms higher consumption but not excess. Conclusion. Experimentations with alcohol seem relatively independent from the presence/absence of family figures. Peers mediate towards higher consumptions. This research was co-funded by Società Italiana di Medicina dell’Adolescenza and Osservatorio Permanente sui Giovani e l’Alcool, a research institution partly funded by the Italian Brewers Association.