By Shivani Achaya

In cities across India, weekend gatherings and college parties often come with the clink of glasses and a quiet sense of expectation that drinking is part of belonging. For many young adults, saying “no” to alcohol is not simply about self-control; it’s about resisting a tide of social pressure. Yet new psychological insights suggest that the ability to do so may be shaped long before the first drink is ever offered.

A recent quantitative study I conducted, titled “Parenting Styles, Peer Pressure and Alcohol Consumption among College Students in Bangalore”, conducted among nearly 200 college students aged 18 to 25, explored how family dynamics and social influence intersect to shape drinking behaviour.

The study found that those raised by authoritative parents, who are warm, supportive, yet firm, were significantly less likely to give in to peer pressure or engage in risky drinking. The combination of emotional closeness and consistent boundaries appears to nurture confidence and independent decision-making, qualities that protect young adults when social norms demand conformity.

By contrast, parenting styles that are either overly strict or overly lenient offer weaker safeguards. Children raised under rigid control may rebel, while those given total freedom may struggle to regulate themselves. In both cases, the absence of balanced guidance leaves them more vulnerable to external influence.

These findings carry important implications for public health. Conversations around alcohol consumption often focus on peer education or campus regulations, but rarely on the role of family. The habits and coping strategies that determine how young people respond to peer pressure are often learned long before they enter college.

Encouraging open communication, mutual respect and emotional support within families can do more to prevent harmful drinking than punitive measures or one-time awareness drives. When parents model responsible behaviour, discuss social pressures openly and set clear but empathetic boundaries, they help their children internalise values that last well into adulthood.

As society debates how to address rising alcohol use among youth, it may be time to look inward. The real foundation of resilience is not built in college corridors or counselling sessions; it begins at home, around the dinner table, in the everyday conversations that quietly shape how young adults make choices when no one is watching.

[Shivani Achaya is a post-graduate student specialising in Health and Well-being Psychology with a strong interest in therapeutic practice and mental health advocacy.]