Binge drinking goes under the spotlight in Bath

​Research in Bath which suggests young people often drink heavily as a way of bonding with their friends will be explained this week.

Investigations into the factors behind binge-drinking will be discussed at a free public lecture at the University of Bath on Thursday.

Professor Christine Griffin, from the Department of Psychology, will look at young people’s attitudes to alcohol in a talk entitled Belonging: young people’s drinking and the importance of the social group.

Professor Griffin led research which suggests a radical re-thinking of national alcohol policy is required to take into account the social character of alcohol consumption and the identity implications for young people.

She said: “Extreme inebriation is often seen as a source of personal esteem and social affirmation amongst young people. Our detailed research interviews reveal that tales of alcohol-related mishaps and escapades are key markers of young people's social identity.

“Getting very drunk with friends often insulates young people from viewing their level of alcohol consumption as a potential problem, deepening bonds of friendship and cementing group membership. Campaigns that aim to change young people’s drinking habits need to take the social importance of drinking into account, as well as the pervasive availability of cheap deals on alcohol.

She will be joined by Dr Tess Ridge, from the university’s Department of Social & Policy Sciences, who will present Voices from the Margins: children’s accounts of the impact of poverty on childhood.

This will look at research carried out over a number of years with children living in poverty in the UK.

Her work engages directly with low income children to explore the impact of poverty on them and their everyday lives.

She said: “My research shows that poverty affects every area of children’s lives, in their homes, neighbourhoods and schools.

“The accounts of their lives show the damaging of economic and material deprivation, social exclusion and deeply felt anxieties about stigma and difference.”

The lecture will be held on Thursday at 2.30pm in Lecture Theatre 4 East, Room 3.10. Free tickets are available from Paula McGrane by email at p.m.mcgrane@bath.ac.uk or phone 01225 383555.