Using Parents in a Defined Role in Alcohol Education: Parents as Prevention Specialists

Abstract

Parents of today’s college students bring unique experiences to the academic journey. They support extended parenting into the college years, demonstrate commitment and knowledge as prevention specialists with regards to their son or daughter’s safety, and value the opportunity for partnerships to be developed with the institution of their child’s enrollment. They also find themselves concerned with alcohol and its effect on the learning experience. The authors in this conceptual article introduce a new component to a comprehensive alcohol education model that capitalizes on the strengths that parents can bring to the college experience and explores the effect of providing evidence to parents that, through consistent and quality communication, they can influence their son or daughter’s decisions about alcohol consumption Literature specific to the attitudes, beliefs, and values of parents of college students about alcohol use is limited; but it confirms that accurate parental awareness of their student’s use and honest dialogue about alcohol use may serve as mediating factors in decisions about alcohol consumption. The department of parent services may be well positioned to encourage and motivate consistent and quality conversations between parents and their student.