A groundbreaking study led by Brazilian researchers sheds new light on the intricate relationship between parenting styles and adolescent substance use, challenging the long-held belief that children inevitably mirror their parents’ habits. Drawing on data from over four thousand adolescents and their guardians, the research rigorously explores how different approaches to parenting can disrupt the intergenerational transmission of alcohol and drug use—a finding with profound implications for public health strategies worldwide.
Parental influence has long been acknowledged as a critical factor in shaping adolescent behavior, but this study delves deeper to dissect the nuances of how parenting styles can serve as protective or risk factors. Importantly, the research reveals that even when parents use substances such as cigarettes, marijuana, or alcohol—which remains a stark reality in many households—the parenting approach can substantially alter the trajectory for their children. Guardians who foster a home environment characterized by emotional bonding, open communication, and clearly defined rules—termed the “authoritative” parenting style—exhibited the strongest protective effects against substance use among their offspring.
The investigation classified parenting into four distinct styles: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful, each varying in the balance of acceptance and monitoring. While authoritarian parenting—marked by strict rules and less emotional warmth—did show some reduction in drug use risk, its impact on alcohol consumption was negligible. On the other hand, permissive and neglectful approaches, which lack effective oversight or emotional connection, failed to offer any meaningful protection, underscoring the complex dynamics between parental behavior and adolescent choices.
A key methodological advance in this study involves the application of Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and Latent Transition Analysis (LTA), statistical methods that unearth hidden patterns and transitions in substance use profiles across generations. By identifying unobservable subgroups within populations, these models enable researchers to probabilistically associate adolescent behaviors with those of their parents, offering a more detailed and nuanced picture than traditional analytical techniques. Such quantitative precision bolsters the reliability of conclusions and opens avenues for targeted interventions.
Of particular concern, the study quantified the risks associated with parental substance use in clear statistical terms. Adolescents with parents who consume alcohol faced a 24% probability of consuming alcohol themselves and a 6% likelihood of engaging with multiple substances. These numbers increased dramatically when parents used multiple drugs, with risks rising to 17% and 28%, respectively. Yet, when parents remained abstinent, an impressive 89% of adolescents avoided alcohol and drug use, positioning parental abstinence as the most robust predictor of youth abstinence.
This study is nested within a broader initiative titled “Reducing Alcohol Consumption Among Adolescents Through a Community-Based Multicomponent Intervention,” supported financially by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). The project targets four small municipalities in São Paulo state, selected for their demographic and geographic diversity. These communities serve as living laboratories to examine how localized, culturally-adapted strategies can curb adolescent substance abuse, marking a shift towards more community-oriented prevention programs that integrate school, family, and environmental approaches.
The research team’s rigorous data collection spanned 2023 and 2024, involving adolescents averaging 14.7 years of age, with near-equal gender representation. Findings indicated that almost one in five adolescents had consumed alcohol in the preceding month, while episodic heavy drinking was reported by roughly 11%. Parental use rates were significantly higher, with over half admitting to regular alcohol consumption and a notable portion engaging in excessive episodic drinking. These statistics paint a portrait of a social milieu where substance use remains pervasive but modifiable through strategic familial and societal mechanisms.
Beyond immediate behavioral correlations, the study highlights the broader health ramifications of adolescent substance use. Alcohol, a leading risk factor for chronic noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular illness, cancer, and diabetes, also exacerbates mental health challenges including anxiety and depression. Early initiation of substance use has been linked to sustained consumption patterns and increased likelihood of long-term harm, making adolescent prevention an urgent priority in public health.
The authors underscore the importance of delaying the initiation of substance use, a measure consistently associated with reduced lifetime consumption and adverse outcomes. Community-based interventions emerge as the most promising avenue, with evidence supporting the combination of school-centered prevention efforts, family engagement programs, and environmental policy modifications. This multilayered methodology not only addresses individual risk factors but also fosters supportive environments conducive to healthy adolescent development.
The study’s revelations hold significant implications for policymakers grappling with the persistence of underage drinking in Brazil, where legal restrictions coexist with widespread early exposure. Data from the National Survey on Alcohol and Drugs (LENAD III) illustrates that more than half of Brazilian youth try alcohol before age 18, and a quarter engage in regular drinking during adolescence. Marijuana use is also prevalent, with close to a million adolescents reporting lifetime use. These figures underscore the urgency of deploying evidence-based, culturally sensitive preventive strategies informed by such rigorous research.
Lead investigator Professor Zila Sanchez, head of the Research Center for the Prevention of Alcohol and Other Drug Use at the Federal University of São Paulo, emphasizes the dual message of the findings: parental substance use undeniably influences youth behavior, but committed, affectionate, and structured parenting can decisively buffer this risk. This paradigm shift holds the potential to move interventions beyond stigmatization towards empowerment, helping families enact protective measures without necessitating perfect parental behavior.
The study exemplifies the power of combining quantitative analysis with comprehensive fieldwork, bringing statistical elegance to bear on a complex social issue. By employing advanced latent variable models, the research not only identifies risk factors but also clarifies pathways through which parenting manifests influence. Such clarity is essential in tailoring interventions that resonate with families’ lived realities and overcome the entrenched cycles of substance misuse.
In conclusion, this research contributes to shifting the narrative surrounding adolescent substance use from deterministic heredity to actionable agency. While parental substance use poses undeniable risks, the parenting style—with its emphasis on warmth, presence, and clear boundaries—can markedly disrupt the intergenerational transmission of these behaviors. This insight equips health professionals, educators, and policymakers with a sharper instrument to craft prevention strategies that recognize the complexity of family dynamics, underscoring hope where risk once seemed immutable.
Subject of Research: Parenting styles and intergenerational transmission of substance use among adolescents.
Article Title: Does the apple fall far from the tree? when parenting styles disrupt the intergenerational pattern of substance use.
News Publication Date: 19-Nov-2025.
Web References:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460325003363
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108567
Keywords: Alcoholism, Addiction, Siblings, Substance related disorders.
