Social psychological factors involved in adolescents' efforts to prevent their friends from driving while intoxicated

The present research examined factors that could be used to improve campaigns geared toward having adolescents prevent their friends from driving while intoxicated. Three areas were examined: (1) adolescents' ability to make accurate judgments of their friends' drunkenness using information about the number of drinks consumed and the time to consume, (2) their perceptions of the consequences that could ensue if they were to attempt to prevent their friends from driving while intoxicated, and (3) their knowledge of viable strategies if they were to attempt such interventions with their friends. The results show that adolescents have perceptual biases when using information about number of drinks and time to consume when making judgments of drunkenness, and that intervention attempts with friends are likely to result in confrontations. The implications of these findings for the timing and content of educational efforts is discussed.This research was supported in part by Grant AA0687502 from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and by the Center for Applied Research at the State University of New York at Albany.Received Ph.D. from University at Albany. Research interest is in social and cognitive psychology.Received Ph.D. from University of Illinois. Research interest is in social and cognitive psychology.Research interest in developmental psychology.Received B.S. from Siena College. Research interest is in social and cognitive psychology.