Into the Thirties: Persistence and Social Consequences of Risky Drinking

The notion of maturing out of addictive behaviours is a long-held concept in population health research. In our thirties, the demands of partnership, family and employment have been viewed as increasingly incompatible with risky alcohol use thereby driving a decline in problematic behaviours. Yet, delays in the formation of stable relationships and child bearing as well as increases in separation and single parent households may be changing how we drink.

There is considerable longitudinal evidence about the associations between binge drinking and antisocial behaviour problems during the teenage year and in early adulthood, but these relationships are less researched in adults. This project is producing some of the first evidence about the social consequences of persistent risky alcohol use between emerging and later adulthood. We are considering how the dynamics of risky drinking have changed and what social conditions have had the greatest impact.

Aims

• Investigate the extent of persistent risky drinking into the thirties in a contemporary Australian cohort
• Determine the social consequences of persistent risk drinking, including impacts on intimate partner violence, relationship quality, antisocial behaviour, and other addictive behaviours

Project team

• Professor Rosa Alati - Project leader
• Professor Gail Williams
• Professor Jake Majman
• Associate Professor Abdullah Mamun
• Alexandra Clavarino

Project details

Duration: 2015-2017

Partners: UQ FAculty of Medicine

Funding: Australian Research Council Discovery Project

Contact: Professor Rosa Alati (r.alati@uq.edu.au)