A gender analysis of alcohol consumption in Spanish young people

Abstract

In European countries, there is a high incidence of alcohol consumption among the young. Taking a gender perspective, the aim of this study is to find out what factors act as motivations in Spanish young people’s alcohol consumption. We carried out a qualitative investigation using in-depth interviews of 24 young people. The results show that peer pressure and family permissiveness can have an influence on their alcohol consumption patterns, while easy access to alcohol and the positive social view of alcoholic drinks in Spain are factors that also bring about heavy drinking.