Curso de mayor riesgo en escolares varones frente al consumo de alcohol

Abstract

The degree of greatest risk in school boys faced with alcohol consumption was studied. The sample is representative of two boroughs: Viña del Mar and Rancagua and consisted of 460 5th to 8th grade elementary school students with the father or a substitute present at home. An anonymous questionnaire which included 4 areas, was applied: family relationships, attitude and behavior when faces with alcohol and drugs, influence of the environment and the peer group. The results show that the consumption of alcohol began in the 7th and 8th grade of elementary school. It also stood out that the 7th graders continued to drink significatively more alcohol and of a stronger degree such as “pisco” than any other grade. Furthermore, the 5th graders had already tried significantly more alcohol between 5 and 10 years of age. Curiosity is the factor which has motivated 7th and 8th graders to drink alcohol. Nevertheless, the social factor such as sharing with friends appears significantly more in 7th graders and “enjoying themselves”, among 8th graders. But 7th graders consume more drugs to share than any other grade. The relationships of students with their parents are significantly more deteriorated in 7th graders than in any other level. These findings could indicate that the conflicts that arise during the male adolescence would be more risky when they are in the 7th grade and that would explain why the student consumes stronger alcohol and drugs with his friends. This study, like others, shows the critical age (12- 13 years of age = 72%) and grade to be the 7th, therefore, prevention should be undertaken before getting to this grade, that is to say, between 4th and 6th grade.