Social representation regarding the use of alcoholic beverages by adolescents

Abstract

This study evaluated the Social Representations regarding the use of alcoholic beverages by adolescents (N = 386; Mage = 15.6; SD = 1.94) based on the Theory of Social Representations. The following instruments were used: sociodemographic questionnaire, Drug Use Screening Inventory and Word Evocation Questionnaire. The Social Representations was evaluated from prototypical and similarity reviews, based on the Social Representation Theory and on the Central Nucleus Theory, and the other data were analyzed based on descriptive and inferential tests. The results indicated that 45.0% of the adolescents had consumed alcoholic beverages during the month before data collection, 24.5% of them with a certain regularity (more than three times a month). With regard to Social Representations it was observed that the words “beer” and “party” were the most evoked (p < 0.05). Alcohol consumption by adolescents was considered an acceptable social behavior as it is associated with positive thinking and with socializing characteristics among peers (p < 0.01).