I Just Don’t Drink’
Examining the Experiences of Young Adult Abstainers in Australia’s Changing Drinking Trends
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12476752 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nicola Rahman (0000-0003-4212-9120, Griffith University, corresponding author), Ernesta Sofija (0000-0002-4761-9762, Griffith University), Bernadette Sebar (Griffith University) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 38-56 |
| Publication date | 2022-07-25 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Young (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1103-3088 • E-ISSN: 1741-3222 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/11033088221111221 |
| OpenAlex | W4287378449 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 33 |
Increasing numbers of young adults in Australia are choosing to abstain from alcohol. Research demonstrates young adults encounter difficulties when choosing to abstain in settings where alcohol consumption is common or expected. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of abstainers aged 18–24 years to understand if the acceptance of their non-drinking practices is changing and how they managed their non-drinking practice in social contexts where alcohol consumption is common in Queensland, Australia. Drawing on the theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism, we show how drinking practices are prevalent and powerful, evident through pressure from significant others to drink. Second, we show how young adults enact agency to deal with this pressure and participate as a non-drinker through (a) having a strong sense of being, (b) using an empowered verbal response to deflect pressure and (c) choosing alternative non-alcohol-related activities. The findings offer insight into how young adults wishing to refrain from alcohol may participate openly as abstainers in heterogenous drinking groups
Agency (philosophy · Alcohol · Alcohol consumption · Consumption (sociology · Developmental psychology · Peer pressure · Qualitative research · Sociology · Symbolic interactionism · Young adult · Community Health and Development · Homelessness and Social Issues · Psychology · Social Psychology · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
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Systematic methodological review
Are changes in binge drinking among European adolescents driven by changes in computer gaming
Negative Experiences of Non-Drinking College Students in Great Britain
Investigating the growing trend of non-drinking among young people; analysis of repeated cross-sectional surveys in England 2005–2015
University students’ drinking as a social practice and the challenge for public health
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Revisiting Symbolic Interactionism as a Theoretical Framework Beyond the Grounded Theory Tradition
Man up
Mind, Self, and Society
Extending and Broadening Blumer's Conceptualization of Symbolic Interactionism
Sober as Deviant
Identity Refusal
Symbols, meaning, and action
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |