Teenagers are less likely to drink, smoke, or use drugs when their parents keep track of their activities. A new study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs reveals that this is not necessarily because kids are more likely to be punished for substance use. Instead, the mere awareness that their parents are monitoring their behavior deters them from trying alcohol or drugs.
Previous studies have established a link between greater parental knowledge of teens’ whereabouts and lower rates of substance use. However, the exact reasons for this association were unclear. In their new study, the researchers sought to investigate whether parental monitoring works by increasing the likelihood of punishment for substance use or by deterring use through the perception that parents might find out.
The study utilized data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a large, ongoing research project following a diverse cohort of adolescents across the United States. For this specific investigation, the researchers focused on survey responses from 4,503 adolescents aged 11 to 15 years old, collected in May 2021.
Participants were invited to complete a web-based survey, which asked about their substance use over the past 30 days, including alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, prescription drugs, inhalants, and other substances. The teens also reported whether their parents knew about their substance use and if there were instances when they refrained from using substances because their parents might find out.
To measure parental monitoring, teens completed the Parental Monitoring Questionnaire (PMQ). This questionnaire assessed how frequently parents knew the teens’ whereabouts, how easily teens could contact their parents when home alone, the extent of daily plan discussions, and the frequency of family dinners.
The survey results revealed that only 3.6% of the teens had used substances in the past 30 days, with the prevalence of substance use increasing with age: 0.2% among 11-year-olds to 8.6% among 15-year-olds. Alcohol, nicotine, and cannabis were the most commonly reported substances. Notably, only 31% of the teens who used substances indicated that their parents were aware of their use.
The researchers tested two hypotheses to understand how parental monitoring influences teen substance use. The first hypothesis, the Increasing Punishment Hypothesis, suggested that parents who monitor more would be more likely to catch and punish their children for substance use. However, the study found no significant link between parental monitoring and parents knowing about substance use, indicating that monitoring did not increase the likelihood of punishment.
The second hypothesis, the Direct Prevention/Avoidance Hypothesis, proposed that monitoring deters substance use because teens believe their parents will find out and punish them. This hypothesis was supported by the findings. This perception of being monitored was effective in reducing substance use, regardless of whether parents actually caught their teens in the act.
Understanding these mechanisms can help provide more specific advice to parents on how to effectively reduce the risk of substance use. As the lead researcher, William Pelham, noted, “Some parents think drinking or using drugs is something that kids are just going to do, no matter what. But that’s not true. Parents can make a difference.”
The study, “How Does Parental Monitoring Reduce Adolescent Substance Use? Preliminary Tests of Two Potential Mechanisms,” was authored by William E. Pelham III, Susan F. Tapert, Marybel R. Gonzalez, Uzoma Ahiarakwe, Herry Patel, Isabella S. Davis, Alejandro D. Meruelo, Amandine M. Van Rinsveld, Andrew T. Marshall, Anthony Steven Dick, Mathieu Guillaume, Gayathri J. Dowling, Arielle Baskin-Sommers, and Sandra A. Brown.