Adolescent Gender Differences in Alcohol Beliefs and Behaviors

Male andfemale high school students were surveyed with an anonymous questionnaire to determine measures of alcohol consumption, abuse (drunkenness and drunk driving), beliefs about drunk driving and drinkin in general, and sources of information they use about alcohol The resul show that males drink beer, wine and liquor more frequently and in greater quantities than females; report more frequent instances of drunkenness and drunk driving; believe the risks associated with drunk driving to be less serious and likely to occur and their own effectiveness at controlling the risks to be greater than females; and report their own experience as their best source of information about alcohol more often than females. The results are discussed in terms of a need to employ a comprehensive, school, community and mass media approach to change critical attitudes of adolescents, especially males, toward alcohol.