Young Australians face the risk of social exclusion if they don’t drink the way their peers are drinking.

According to this study, funded by DrinkWise Australia and the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, young people who choose to stay sober will typically have to come up with socially acceptable reasons why they are not drinking and will potentially face heavy social exclusion at worst, through to constant interrogation at best.

Chair of the Board of DrinkWise, Trish Worth, said one reason for this exclusion is that the sober member of the group reduces the confidence and enjoyment of those who are drinking, making them self conscious.

Authors: Joseph Borlagdan, Toby Freeman, Angella Duvnjak, Belinda Lunnay, Petra Bywood and Ann M Roche.