The influence of parents’ history of alcohol use on their university-going children’s drinking habits: A comparative study of students’ drinking habits

Abstract

Background: Parents with a history of alcohol consumption contribute to their children’s drinking behaviour.
Aim: This study aimed to investigate the influence of parents’ history of alcohol use on their children’s drinking habits.
Setting: The study was conducted at a contact learning university in South Africa.
Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study with 350 undergraduate university students was conducted.
Results: The independent samples t-test results revealed that students who had parents with a history of alcohol use (M = 4.20, standard deviation [s.d.] = 2.95) scored significantly higher on hazardous alcohol use compared to their counterparts whose parents did not have a history of alcohol use (M = 2.47, s.d. = 2.70). The results also showed that students who had parents with a history of alcohol use (M = 5.78, s.d. = 4.48) scored significantly higher on harmful alcohol use compared to students with parents who did not have a history of alcohol use (M = 2.98, s.d. = 3.66). Moreover, students who had parents with a history of alcohol use (M = 4.42, s.d. = 3.20) scored significantly higher on alcohol dependence symptoms than those whose parents did not have a history of alcohol use (M = 1.95, s.d. = 2.61).
Conclusion: Parents with a history of alcohol use influence their children’s drinking habits. The observed drinking habits can affect children’s health and interrupt their university studies.
Contribution: Investing in university alcohol prevention programmes could reduce the surge of alcohol abuse among students and promote healthy drinking habits.