1. Charles University Prague (Czech Republic)
University of Tartu (Estonia)
Free University of Berlin/University of Hildesheim/
University of Hildesheim (Germany)
University of Genoa (Italy)
Ghent University (Belgium)
Effective Environmental Strategies for the Prevention of Alcohol Abuse among Adolescents in Europe Majone Steketee

2. Objective of AAA-prevent
Alcohol consumption among youngsters is rising in Europe (younger, heavier).
What are the facts?
What is done?
What could be done?
Underage drinking is a serious public health concern, as demonstrated by epidemiological data and results from studies investigating the social, health and economic consequences of drinking by children and adolescents. In particular, it should be reminded that:
alcohol is the drug most commonly used by youths (Johnston et al., 2008; Hibell et al., 2009);
adolescents who indulge in drinking are more likely to engage in risky behaviours, such as drinking and driving (Hingson et al., 2005);
underage drinking contributes to both unintentional and intentional injury deaths among adolescents (Rehm et al., 2004);
adolescents who drink heavily are at increased risk of short and long term health problems (Hingson et al., 2006; Squeglia et al., 2009) and behavioural problems (Spoth et al., 2006).

3. Prevention of alcohol (mis)use
This study focuses on different contexts and their influence on alcohol use at an early age.
Overall, youngsters mainly grow up in four different context
Family
School
Peers / leisure time
Neighbourhood
Within these contexts we look at specific factors that can increase of decrease risky behaviour such as alcohol.
Problem behaviours hardly ever spontaneously develop from one day to the other. Instead, these
behavioural patterns generally develop over time with differences but also similarities between them
in which genes, social experiences, life course as well as social circumstances play an interactive role
(Jonkman, 2012; Marmot, 2000). The social position is affected by what adolescents experienced
earlier in life (conception, birth, early life and childhood), as is their social response to social circumstances.
We know that alcohol use in early adolescence is strongly influenced by social and familial
environmental factors (Kendler, Schmitt, Aggen & Prescott, 2008). This study focuses on different
contexts and their influence on alcohol use at an early age.
Overall, youngsters mainly grow up in four different contexts wherein they interact with others on a
daily basis over a longer period of time. These contexts include their: family, school, peer group and
neighbourhood, and it is within these contexts where specific factors can be identified which either
increase or decrease the likelihood of risk behaviours such as alcohol use (risk factors, protective
factors).

4. Knowledge about prevention
Prevention science has identified two different types of groups of predictors in terms of individuals and their social environments.
First those factors which increase the likelihood of problems: risk factors.
Secondly factors which moderate and mediate exposure to risk, which in effect will decrease the likelihood of problems: protective factors.
There is also overwhelming evidence that the development of alcohol
use is often intertwined with one or more other problem behaviours (Jonkman, 2012; REF). Severe alcohol use, for example, is associated with other substance use (Hawkins et al., 2002). A significant correlation between alcohol use and crime has also been recognized in scientific studies (Gatti &Verde, 2012, Steketee, 2011). The intertwining of different problem behaviours prompted the idea of simultaneously
addressing underlying factors strongly associated with problem behaviours (Catalano et al.,2012). Over time, several longitudinal and experimental studies identified various risk and protective factors as underlying factors of the problem behaviours (IOM, 2009; Hawkins, Catalano & Miller, 2002).
These factors can be found in the daily contexts in which children and youngsters are raised: family, school, peers and communities. Subsequently, these factors have become the building blocks of prevention strategies for children and youngsters.

5. In this study we used structural factors (besides risk factors), which are defined as higher-level
country factors, such as policies (for example laws, prices and collective action), the social and
economical system (including wealth, wealth distribution and employment) as well as cultural factors
(beliefs, customs). These factors are important, as it is the larger circle of societal constraints and
possibilities which may infl uence youngsters’ alcohol behaviour. We have sufficient knowledge concerning
the infl uence of risk factors on our behaviour, but know less about the influence of these larger
structural factors.

6. Cross-national analysis and preventive possibilities
Understanding:
patterns of alcohol use
the influence of risk factors in daily life of young
adolescence
the influence of the country where you grow up
Use of effective prevention programs and
policies in Europe.

7. Conceptual framework Building Block 1 Building Block 2
Comparitive data of 25 European countries
Science based research on problems and determinants
Multilevel analyses of data on youth and countries
Analyses of prevention policies in countries
Possible effective strategies for the future at EU, national and local levels
Building Block 5
Building Block 4
Building Block 3

8. Data International Self-Report Study of Delinquency
(ISRD) (2006; see Junger-Tas et al., 2009;
2012)
youngsters
25 European countries
Age years
Substance use, delinquency, school, family,
leisure time

10. General questions
What are the differences of adolescent alcohol and drug use between European countries? And are there patterns of consumption of alcohol use of young people betweeren the countries? What are the factors associated with patterns of alcohol use of young people? What are the effective policies, programmes and interventions to reduce the levels of risk factors and adolescent substance use? What are possible effective strategies for the future at EU, national and local levels.

11. Team members Harrie Jonkman Jessica van den Toorn Claire Aussems
Nicole Vettenburg  
Hans Berten
Renate Soellner  
Astrid-Britta Bräker
Kristin Göbel  
Majone Steketee
Herbert Scheithauer
Uberto Gatti
Alfredo Verde  
Gabriele Rocca,
Anna Markina
Kristjan Kask
Jiri Burianek
Zuzana Podaná

12. Thanks for your attention