One Sober Friend is All it Takes

It's tough for teens to abstain from drinking if all their friends do liquor up. We've all heard stories of 'he-would-never-do-that' or 'she's-not-the-type' teens who got drunk at a party. How can we help teens stay strong amongst peer pressure when it comes to drinking?Here's a fascinating bit of research:Drunken incidences went down 38% when drinking teens were in the company of one sober friend. And maybe even more important: teens who had decided not to drink were far less likely to give in to peer pressure when they had one or more nondrinking friends. One sober friend, one partner-in-abstaining, that's what teens need to stick to their resolution to not drink. And by doing that, they could also have a positive influence on the teens around them who do drink.If you have teens in your small group that are tempted to sway under pressure, advise them to bring a friend sho also doesn't want to drink. Together it's easier.[Source: Social Science & Medicine][Image: Duane Storey via Compfight cc]