The Influence of Religiosity on Reaction to Alcohol Advertisements and Current Drinking Among Seventh and Eighth Graders

Abstract

This study explored the impact of religiosity on adolescent perceptions of alcohol-related advertising. Data were collected via a survey administered to 972 seventh and eighth graders at 6 schools in 2 western states. Students who reported being less religious were more likely to believe alcohol ads reflect reality, present situations similar to their own lives, and use characters who possess desirable traits worth emulating more so than those who reported being more religious. Less religious students were also more likely to believe that drinking is a normal part of teenage life and that it brings about positive outcomes. Hierarchical logistic regression indicated that those respondents who reported being less religious were more likely to have consumed an alcoholic beverage in the 30-day period prior to the administration of the survey than those who reported being more religious.