Alcohol Use Among Teens at Prom: A Social-Ecological Approach

Introduction

In September 2015, Austin Hall Donovan, then eighteen, was sentenced to an 18-month jail term by a Maryland court after pleading guilty to vehicular manslaughter that led to the deaths of his high school colleagues on prom night (George, 2015). The prosecutor's report indicated that Donovan was highly intoxicated at the time of the accident, recording a blood-alcohol level of 0.11 — higher than the 0.08 adult legal limit — when tested nearly three hours after the incident (George, 2015). Donovan, then 17, was reportedly driving at 119 mph in a residential area with a 35 mph speed limit when he lost control of his convertible and struck a light pole and a tree, killing his friend Shawn Gangloff (aged 15) and severely injuring 17-year-old Max Dechter (George, 2015). The case brought to light the serious concerns parents face when teenagers attend prom.

According to Law for Kids (2016), prom is one of the most exciting seasons in the life of most teenagers, but one that a good number of parents dread. Available data indicate that, on average, 2,000 teens die from motor vehicle accidents every year, with prom season (April, May, and June) accounting for 30 percent of these deaths (Law for Kids, 2016). Every year, over 300 teens die in car accidents during prom weekends (Wilson, 2018). In 2013, the prom season accounted for 27 percent of teen motor vehicle accidents, translating to 676 deaths (Law for Kids, 2016). This paper applies the constructs of the social-ecological model to develop an intervention aimed at reducing alcohol use among teens during prom.

The social-ecological model explains the occurrence of public health issues through a multidimensional approach that considers the physical and social context of an individual or community (CDC, 2015). The model examines public health issues based on individual, relationship, community, and societal factors, and helps in developing effective interventions (CDC, 2015). It recognizes that an individual or community's health is shaped by interactions across individual, community, social, political, and physical environments that collectively determine social, mental, and physical well-being (CDC, 2015).

Social-Ecological Model and Why It Was Selected

Teenage alcoholism is a complex subject. People engage in alcohol use for different reasons stemming from many different influences in their lives. Varied factors drive teenagers to drink — from parental influence to stress, peer pressure, and lack of knowledge about the costs of alcoholism. The social-ecological model is the most appropriate framework for studying teenage alcoholism because it accounts for the interplay of individual, relationship, community, and societal factors, allowing one to develop an intervention that operates across multiple levels. Studies have found that multicomponent interventions are the most effective approach to addressing college students' drinking behavior (Thadani et al., 2009).

The individual level identifies the personal and biological factors that increase one's risk of alcohol use during prom (CDC, 2015). One of the fundamental individual factors is a past history of alcohol use. Studies have shown that students who have previously consumed alcohol are more likely to drink again if given the opportunity during prom, graduation, and other events where alcohol is easily accessible (Thadani et al., 2009). Other individual-level factors that might drive a decision to drink during prom include beliefs and attitudes that normalize alcohol consumption (such as the belief that alcohol relieves problems), antisocial and impulsive behavior, drug and substance abuse, and a lack of knowledge about the consequences of alcohol use. Interventions at this level include life skills training and education.

Individual Level Factors and Interventions

Life skills training would be offered at the school level and focus on helping students develop personal, social, and self-management skills, teaching them how to resist negative social pressures, and shaping their attitudes and knowledge about alcohol use (Botvin & Kantor, 2000). Program organizers would partner with school administrators and parents to organize a one-week training program for students before prom. The topics covered in the life skills education program would include the following areas:

Information and Skills Related to Alcohol Use: Students would be trained on the short- and long-term consequences of alcohol use, the declining social acceptability of alcohol and other drugs, and statistics on consumption patterns intended to correct negative attitudes and normative expectations surrounding alcohol use (Botvin & Kantor, 2000). Organizers would also arrange class demonstrations, role-playing exercises, and simulations to illustrate the effects of alcohol and teach skills for resisting peer pressure and alcohol advertising when opportunities to drink arise — as they commonly do at prom (Botvin & Kantor, 2000). For example, schools could organize simulation exercises depicting car crashes caused by drunk driving after prom to sensitize teens to the potential consequences of alcohol use.

Personal Self-Management: Training sessions could sensitize teens to effective problem-solving and decision-making, how to distinguish between negative and positive media influences, how to resist harmful media messaging, and how to manage frustration, anger, and anxiety through positive strategies (Botvin & Kantor, 2000). Students could also be equipped with basic self-improvement and behavior-change principles, including goal-setting, self-reinforcement, and self-monitoring (Botvin & Kantor, 2000).

Social Skills: Students would be educated on ways of building social competence — such as how to refuse negative peer pressure without damaging friendships, how to foster positive male-female relationships, and how to communicate effectively (Botvin & Kantor, 2000).

To ensure maximum efficacy, Botvin and Kantor (2000) advise that such education sessions be conducted as a continuing effort rather than as one-time events held just before prom. School administrators could work together with teachers to integrate these lessons into the curriculum during students' final year as a way of reinforcing the skills acquired.

Conclusion

Thadani, V., Huchting, K., & LaBrie, J. (2009). Alcohol-related information in multi-component interventions and college students' drinking behavior. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education, 53(2), 31–51.

Wilson, R. (2018). Prom night dangers. Roberts Wilson. Retrieved from https://www.wegetjustice.com/prom-night-dangers/