Teenagers and Alcohol in the Arctic Region: Factors, Features, Prospects for Prevention on the Example of the Kola Peninsula Region

• Published in: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science
• Main Authors: Pryalukhina, A, Trotsenko, A, Khrapenko, I
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: IOP Publishing 2019
• Subjects: Arctic; Kola Peninsula; kola peninsula
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/302/1/012087; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/302/1/012087/pdf; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/302/1/012087

Abstract The paper is devoted to the development of addictive behavior in adolescents and the possibilities of its prevention. The authors presented a theoretical analysis of alcoholism in general and identified the main issues on the example of adolescents of the Kola Peninsula. This paper focuses on the environmental peculiarities of the problem, since living conditions in the polar region contribute to the development of addictive behavior. The study involved 539 respondents of both sexes, with an average age of 15 years, who formed two groups: deviant and standardized adolescents. Considering that subjects with addictions could modify their answers to be more socially desirable, the deviant group was formed based on the data provided by organizations working with them. The empirical research identified the psychological factors of alcohol addiction of adolescents, determined and analyzed their manifestations specific for this age group. It presented detailed prescription of mental states, alcohol consumption motives, communication and organizational skills, specificity of responsible behavior, locus control, style of family education and relations. The research also revealed the relationship between these indicators. It was found that adolescents with alcohol addiction had problems with somatic and mental health; the motives for alcohol consumption included social, pseudo-cultural and hedonistic motives. The mental state of adolescents affected the alcohol addiction and depended on their communication skills. The study of the locus control in both groups revealed no significant differences. Both groups had the prevalence of the external locus control and the low level of responsible behavior. The research showed that the preferences of a specific paternalism leaded to the formation of a propensity for alcohol consumption. The paper identified the key aspects of adolescent alcoholism in Kola Peninsula region, which could be used as basis for prevention activities.