ALCOHOL
Understanding and addressing the Schoolies phenomenon Simone Pettigrew,1 Nicole Biagioni,1 Mike Daube,2 Sandra C. Jones,3 Tanya Chikritzhs,4 Gary Kirby5
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choolies is the period of celebration undertaken by Australian school students (Leavers) after completing their final exams.1-4 It is recognised as a rite of passage that typically involves Leavers travelling to holiday destinations where they congregate in large numbers to mark the end of their secondary schooling and the commencement of a more independent stage of life.5-7 These celebrations can last from a few days to a few weeks.8 The ‘Schoolies’ ritual has been well-entrenched for many decades on the Gold Coast in Queensland, and more recently has also become common in Western Australia (WA).1,6,9 Favoured destinations for WA Leavers include Rottnest (a holiday island) and some of the larger towns in the South West (Dunsborough, Busselton, and Margaret River).2,4 Schoolies is synonymous with the consumption of excessive quantities of alcohol.1,2,6,7,10 This excessive consumption results in alcohol-related harms for many participants. Males attending ‘Leavers 2009’ on Rottnest Island, for example, drank an average of 18 standard drinks per day, and females consumed an average of 13 standard drinks per day.9 As a result of these high levels of intake, a large majority experienced at least one adverse outcome such as hangover, vomiting, blackout, or unprotected sex.9 The heaviest drinkers at Schoolies have been found to be males and those who previously consumed alcohol frequently.2,6,9 Only a small body of work has examined the Schoolies phenomenon in terms of the
Abstract Objective: This study qualitatively explored Western Australian school leavers’ alcohol-related experiences during the Schoolies period to generate insights for the purpose of intervention design. This is in the context of an impending change in the age of Western Australian students completing secondary school which, for the first time, will see around half being of legal age to purchase alcohol. Method: Fifty-four 18-21-year-olds provided reflections via an emailed introspection on their experiences in the immediate post-school period. This provided access to the views of those who chose to attend events and consume large amounts of alcohol, those who attended events but refrained from excessive alcohol consumption, and those who elected to either avoid Schoolies events or engage in alternative celebrations. The data were coded and analysed using NVivo10. Results: Three primary themes were identified that related to the perceived role of alcohol during Schoolies, the range of associated rite-of-passage rituals, and the strategies used by some Leavers to avoid alcohol and its consequences during the Schoolies period. Conclusion: Students and parents constitute important target groups for interventions designed to address alcohol-related harms during Schoolies. In the WA context, legislation on secondary supply and controlled purchase, as recommended by health and police authorities, could reduce harms that are likely to result from the change in the age of school leavers. Suggestions for alternative pastimes to promote to school leavers are provided. Key words: alcohol, students, policy
motives and expectancies of young people participating in the event. Exceptions include studies by Hutton et al.,10 Lam et al.,9 Midford et al.,5 and Roach and Salom.11 These studies have found that high levels of intoxication are sought, expected, and obtained by large numbers of Leavers. Other explicitly-stated motives relate to opportunities to unwind, socialise with friends, meet new people, be independent of their parents, and attend music events. Throughout this work it is clear that Schoolies is a highly significant rite
of passage that holds special meaning for members of this age group. However, there appears to be little if any work exploring the attitudes and motives of those Leavers who choose not to participate in large-scale Schoolies celebrations. It is reported that risk management strategies are in place in an attempt to minimise adverse outcomes in various celebration locations around the country,11 but little is known of their nature or their effectiveness.
1. School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Western Australia 2. Public Health Advocacy Institute, Curtin University, Western Australia 3. Centre for Health and Social Research (CHaSR), Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Victoria 4. National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Western Australia 5. Drug and Alcohol Office, Western Australian Department of Health Correspondence to: Professor Simone Pettigrew, School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845; e-mail: [email protected] Submitted: April 2014; Revision Requested: June 2014; Accepted: October 2014 The authors have stated they have no conflict of interest. Aust NZ J Public Health. 2015; 39:135-40; doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12324
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In the WA context, numerous strategies have been implemented to reduce the negative consequences associated with Schoolies celebrations, including education, harm minimisation, and alcohol supply control strategies.4,6 Education is often provided in schools, while harm minimisation includes strategies such as the provision of ‘recovery tents’ in Schoolies areas. Supply control strategies include checking identification when purchasing alcohol or entering licensed premises and seizing alcohol from minors when in public. Police maintain a highly visible presence in Schoolies areas, and stopand-search procedures are used to check cars entering these areas. Alcohol found in vehicles that have only minors as occupants is seized and destroyed, and large quantities of alcohol in possession of a young adult may attract questioning about secondary supply intentions. A major impending change in the Schoolies phenomenon will necessitate a reconsideration of these strategies. To bring the school ages of WA students in line with those elsewhere in the country, a half cohort entered the school system in 2002.12 This half cohort is in Year 12 in 2014, and is the last cohort in which almost all students will be 17 years of age at the completion of their schooling. In 2015, around half of young people attending Schoolies events will be 18 years of age and legally able to purchase alcohol, with the other half still under-age.
The data were collected as part of a larger study investigating alcohol-related beliefs and behaviours among drinkers aged 18-21 years. ‘Drinkers’ were defined as those who
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The inclusion of introspections in the study design allowed individuals to consider issues in their own time and to identify and reflect on relevant factors,14 thereby potentially generating insights above and beyond those that can be captured via more traditional data collection methods.14,15 The introspection contents were a combination of participantselected topics and optional topics suggested by the researchers. Ethics approval for the study was obtained from the Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee.
Participants
While other Australian states have had to contend with mixed age groups for some time, it will require a re-consideration of current strategies employed in WA and new approaches will be required to ensure that the progress made in recent years is not foregone. To provide insight into potential strategies that can be used in WA and elsewhere, the present study generated qualitative data pertaining to Leavers’ alcoholrelated experiences during the Schoolies period. The data were analysed to identify the factors that influenced decisions relating to event attendance and alcohol consumption to provide insight into how the Schoolies phenomenon may be better addressed in the future to reduce alcohol-related harms among Leavers.
Method
consumed alcohol at least 2-3 days per month. The study used the sensitisation approach,13 which involves collecting substantial quantities of qualitative data from a cohort over a period of at least six months to observe their changing views and behaviours in relation to the phenomenon of interest. In the present study, young adult drinkers committed to share their alcohol-related beliefs and experiences continuously over a six-month period via individual interviews, focus groups, and fortnightly emailed introspections. In total, participants were asked to provide 15 data inputs (2 interviews, 1 focus group, and 12 introspections), for which they could receive up to $600 compensation across the six months (i.e. an average of $40 per data collection episode).
An ISO accredited social research agency was used to undertake participant recruitment. The agency has a database of almost 200,000 Australians who are attracted to the panel through a wide range of recruitment activities that include online advertising, handing flyers out at train stations, and telephone random digit dialling. The agency issued invitations to 823 of their database members who met the location (Perth) and age range (18-21 years) eligibility criteria. The invitation advised potential participants that they were being offered the opportunity to “participate in a study in relation to alcohol consumption”. In addition, online advertisements were placed on various websites (e.g., Google searches and social media platforms). Of the 380 individuals who responded to the invitation/advertisements, 106 were excluded due to ineligibility or full quotas (50% male, 50% female; 50% 18-19 years, 50% 20-21 years) and 197 were unable to commit to the six-month duration of the study. Of the remaining 77 potential participants, 17 withdrew upon initial contact with the researchers, resulting in a final sample of
60 drinkers. One-third of the participants reported typical alcohol consumption levels that were classified as low risk for longterm alcohol-related harm by the National Health and Medical Research Council.16 The remaining two-thirds were classified as being at high risk of alcohol-related harm because their reported alcohol intake averaged more than two standard drinks per day.
Procedure Early in the six-month study period, participants were given the option of sharing their Schoolies experiences in one of their introspections. The introspection prompt emailed to the study participants was: “Please describe your Leavers/Schoolies experience, including the role, if any, of alcohol.” This approach allowed the study participants to reflect on their Schoolies experiences in their own time and to identify and discuss those aspects of their experiences that they considered to be most important and relevant, with a particular focus on alcohol. Of the total sample, 54 participants elected to provide an introspection on their Schoolies experience.
Analysis The data were analysed using NVivo10. After an initial reading of the introspections, the content of each was coded to a range of demographic, attitudinal, and behavioural variables. Reflecting the adoption of a thematic analysis approach and the resulting use of an emergent coding hierarchy, a single coder (the lead author) undertook the coding task. Text, coding, and matrix searches were then used to identify themes in the data, which were discussed, refined, and agreed among the research team. In the following section, the identified themes are illustrated with use of extracts from the introspections. Pseudonyms are used throughout.
Results Many participants recounted vivid memories that included both positive and negative elements. Three primary themes were generated from the data (Table 1). The first theme relates to the perceived role of alcohol in Schoolies celebrations, with most considering the presence and ingestion of alcohol to be a deeply embedded and vital component of Schoolies. As reflected in the second theme, while the association between alcohol and Schoolies was generally accepted, there were some who sought to
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woke up, we would start the morning with shots. This became the norm for the remainder of the week (David).
distance themselves from the heavy drinking of their peers. The third theme locates alcohol consumption within the broader context of the numerous ‘rite of passage’ activities undertaken by young people during the Schoolies period.
Probably the highlight was the final night when everyone joined in and got drunk and danced and the night was without drama. We put all our empty bottles around the perimeter of the house and actually almost circled it twice. When we requested extra bins the next morning for clean up, the owner told us to leave it so he could take lots of photos before we take it down, he was that impressed. So much fun (Caleb).
Theme 1: Schoolies = alcohol Integral Most participants discussed at length the various ways in which alcohol was embedded in their Schoolies experiences. They reported positively anticipating their drinking activities during the school year and enjoying the alcohol-related aspects of their Schoolies celebrations. The extent to which alcohol was perceived as being integral to the Schoolies experience was consistent across male and female participants: Alcohol’s role at Schoolies was the enabler, the joy maker, the medicine, the object of trade, the breakfast, lunch and tea, the dessert. Basically, alcohol was all Schoolies was (Amanda).
We all saved up about $200 each for alcohol and bought it all on our way up. From memory, I think I bought two cartons of beer and two bottles of spirits for the five days we were going to be there. Everyone else bought a similar amount of alcohol (Ethan).
Schoolies has a big importance placed on alcohol consumption, and that is part of the appeal to me. To go get really wasted with friends for five nights away from home seemed like a perfect time (Mark).
Sneaking behaviours
Quantity focus As indicated in the extracts provided above, among the majority of participants reporting that alcohol was an important element of their Schoolies’ experience, great emphasis was placed on the quantity of alcohol consumed. Quantity appeared to be a much more salient attribute than the type (beer, wine, spirits) or quality of the beverages selected. Inebriation was described as the primary goal. Appreciation of any aesthetic qualities was conspicuous by its absence in descriptions of drinking choices and activities: During my Schoolies experience, alcohol was a MAJOR factor. From the moment we arrived, we consumed alcohol until extremely intoxicated. We continued until we eventually passed out. And when we
Consistent with the importance of the anticipation aspect of alcohol consumption during Schoolies, some participants reported that their high levels of consumption were planned long in advance. They described how they had saved up during the year to allow them to buy large quantities of alcohol to see them through the celebration period:
The stated importance of alcohol was reflected in the lengths that were taken by many participants to facilitate their drinking during the Schoolies period. While the alcohol control strategies implemented by the WA Police served as a deterrent for some, for others it prompted creative approaches to the transportation of alcohol to Schoolies venues. These young people appeared to embrace the challenge and incorporate sneaking behaviours into their event planning. Sneaking occurred in the context of both travel to geographical locations and gaining access to specific celebratory events: The preparation for Schoolies was actually pretty intense. For example, the group knew that when they drove down on Schoolies week they wouldn’t be able to cart down
Table 1: Summary of themes. Theme 1: Schoolies = Alcohol
Theme 2: We’re not all like that
Theme 3: Playing grown-ups
Integral
Going elsewhere
Unrestrained alcohol consumption
Quantity focus
There but doing other things
Keeping house
Sneaking alcohol
Protective factors: relationships and religion
Duty of care
Harms expected and accepted
‘Relationship problems’
Parental complicity
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alcohol. So three months before Schoolies, a small group drove to the house and they took a car full of alcohol so they had it ready for when they went down (Megan). At the raves (organised parties), one of us would always sneak in a bottle of booze for the group. We would all buy a Powerade or soft drink and share the alcohol between us. Sometimes we would take the free lollies from the volunteers and put it in our vodka to flavour it (Amanda).
Harms expected and accepted In line with participants’ perceptions of the integral role of alcohol in Schoolies celebrations, there was an apparent acceptance of the alcohol-related harms that accompanied their high levels of intake. In some instances these harms were viewed as unfortunate incidents, while in other instances they constituted ‘badges of honour’ that also served as humorous anecdotes to be shared. The most commonly mentioned harms were vomiting and hangovers, although some experienced more serious physical injuries: We also thought that at 10am in the morning it was a good idea to open a bottle of Vodka. I got a little carried away though and managed to finish around six glasses in one hour. This was the worst idea ever. I don’t really remember much, but I remember waking up in my bed six hours later and it was the first night of the parties. I remember vomiting for four hours at least into a bucket. That evening I was set on going to the parties so I got dressed, which is very hard, especially when you are trying to put make up on. I spent the whole night vomiting up bile and did not enjoy it one bit. The next day I woke up and felt the worst I have ever felt in my life, but of course I started drinking again (Leah). On one of the nights, Ben ran flat out into an air conditioner and split his eye open which resulted in stitches. Ben being drunk and thinking he was awesome told everyone he’d been bottled (Georgia). For some of the females, another form of harm involved unwanted or regretted experiences with members of the opposite sex. Of note was that when referring to more minor incidents, the female participants reported their own personal experiences. Where more serious episodes occurred, they were reported as happening to others: The zone (boundaried music concert and amusement park area) wasn’t very enjoyable. If a friend and I wanted to go
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dance we would have to manoeuvre our way through crowds of disgusting boys who thought it was cool to grind up against us and try to kiss us. The bus rides to the zone were spent having to listen to majority of the bus chant “TITS OUT FOR THE BOYS” (Sarah).
seat, in a juice bottle, and cereal box so the holiday park owner would not confiscate it from us (Elena). Other parents were adequately discouraged by the control measures implemented in WA to attempt to prevent their children from transporting alcohol to the celebration sites:
One of the girls who was with us, who was a virgin, got tipsy and then took a guy to her room that she had just met that day. Then when we asked her about it when she came out, she had a scream at us (Kimberley).
We heard news of parents being pulled over and being fined around $2000 for having alcohol in their car with minors. As you could imagine, my best friend’s parents were not as cooperative with the matter as they were before. They decided we weren’t allowed to take any of the stuff we bought. We were upset, of course, but that didn’t deter us from smuggling even the slightest amounts of alcohol, unbeknownst to his parents. We hid vodka in water bottles and goon bags (cask wine) in pillowcases and headed off the day after (Andrew).
Rather than recognising excessive alcohol consumption as a source of risk, some participants viewed it as a protective factor. This perceived protection included both emotional aspects, such as where they felt that intoxication prevented them from becoming upset over personal or social issues, and physical aspects, such as reduced ability to register pain:
Theme 2: We’re not all like that
Alcohol also proved to be a saving grace for me, as I sprained my ankle pretty badly in the mosh, but kept on dancing and walking around because the alcohol in my system dulled how bad it actually felt. I also ended up running 5km home with a friend from a party drunk. The next day my ankle had swollen to the size of a large tennis ball, but I hadn’t felt such pain when I was drunk off my face (Anthony).
Parental complicity According to many of the participants, their parents also perceived alcohol as an integral element of the Schoolies experience. While these parents may not necessarily have wanted their children to engage in excessive drinking, some actively facilitated access to enable this to happen. This was interpreted by the participants as the parents being either understanding and helpful or resigned and hopeful that their involvement would reduce overall harms through the provision of what the parents considered to be moderate amounts of alcohol: On the first night my friend’s dad bought us hundreds (of dollars) worth of alcohol, spirits, cruisers, which mostly went in the first night (Tina). I travelled to Dunsborough with five other girls from my graduating class. We were driven down by my friend’s mum. I think she felt she knew that Schoolies involved drinking so would rather know what alcohol we had instead of turning a blind eye. She took us to the bottle shop then helped us disguise the alcohol within a car
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Around a quarter of the study participants stated that they had not attended any of the ‘typical’ Schoolies-related events and/or that they had intentionally attended events where alcohol consumption was not a focus. The primary stated reason was a preference to avoid exposure to alcohol and the drunken behaviours of their peers, which were viewed as unattractive and undesirable. For these participants, and in contrast to the views of the majority, alcohol is unnecessary for the achievement of enjoyment and instead can result in the opposite outcome. Schoolies didn’t appeal to me as a week of drunken antics. For me it was more a week to spend with my best friend with no parents and no school to worry about. I think that has been lost on most people who not only risk their lives but the lives of those around them when they get drunk underage in dangerous situations (Ella). None of us had any desire to join the culture of getting totally smashed at some Schoolies party in some strange country like Bali, or down south like Busselton and Margaret River or Rottnest. None of us have any regrets about not joining in the Schoolies party scene. How many of them come back from Schoolies with huge hangover, embarrassment at having sex with some stranger or taking some substance that left them off them their faces? Most of them can’t recall what really went on, they just assume they had a great time. Whereas my friends and I know we had a cool time without alcohol, drugs, or anything else (Mitchell).
Avoiding alcohol-fuelled Schoolies activities was achieved in two main ways. The first was by choosing to patronise other locations (e.g. Kalbarri (a smaller beachside town to the north of Perth), remote campsites, and other major cities). The second was by attending the same sites as their heavy-drinking peers, but focusing on different pastimes over the period that did not involve excessive alcohol consumption. Specific pastimes mentioned included spending time at the beach (swimming, surfing, and snorkelling), camping, hiking, and movie/TV marathons. My Schoolies experience was great. We were camping 50 metres from the beach, in a cove that was great for snorkelling and surfing. Alcohol didn’t really play a big part in that experience (Anna). My Schoolies experience was held in Melbourne…I wanted my celebration of leaving school to be memorable, where I tried different things and actually had a story that wouldn’t be like every Dick, Tom and Harry; “I got wasted and threw up everywhere, it was so much fun”. I wanted to be a little more classy, sue me (Chloe). For some, being in a close relationship (romantic or friendship) or having a strong religious affiliation appeared to be protective of excessive alcohol consumption. I went down South with my best friend for a week outside of the traditional Schoolies week. We spent it walking into town from our resort room, swimming in the pool and beach, watching movies and the show Supernatural. Between the two of us we had 16 cruisers, and on our way back we still had four not including the two we tipped down the sink during the week because we didn’t like the flavour (Ella). I went to Ningaloo Reef with an organisation called Scripture Union that runs Schoolies programs. They run drug- and alcohol-free events and then action pack the week with heaps of activities that are available. I went kayaking, hiking, camp-outs on the beach, windsurfing, snorkelling, and swimming. I chose to go to this Schoolies because every year on the news you see the typical Dunsborough and Rottnest Schoolies and they just look awful and tacky, and my close group of friends at school also didn’t like the idea of being in that environment. We were all drinking by the age of 16 anyway, but nothing like this. But I was fine not drinking and actually enjoying myself doing other things. It just goes to show that drinking alcohol doesn’t always mean you are having more fun (Liana).
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Theme 3 - Playing grown-ups The participants reported a range of behaviours that, in combination, represented a rapid and intentional rite of passage into adulthood. There was an emphasis on accumulating experiences that positioned them as adults with associated rights and responsibilities. A key experience, as discussed at length above, was engaging in unrestrained alcohol consumption as a demonstration of their new maturity. Alcohol made it much more of a ‘coming of age’ type of thing. Made us feel older and less juvi (juvenile) (Luke). Many of the participants who travelled to celebration sites stayed in rental homes because this avoided the stringent alcohol control measures being implemented at camp sites and holiday resorts. Those choosing this accommodation alternative seemed to enjoy ‘keeping house’, and reported engaging in behaviours such as playing host by inviting others to visit (sometimes complete strangers) and feeling entitled to damage the property and then taking responsibility for repairing the damage. The following extended extract provides insight into how Schoolies can provide an opportunity for young people to take on the mantle of home owners in ways that can have both positive and negative outcomes for those involved. We rented a house for a week, a nice twostorey big house, and it was chaos. The first night my friend’s dad bought us hundreds (of dollars) worth of alcohol, spirits, cruisers, lots which mostly went in the first night. We invited randoms (strangers) over from the town and played drinking games and had fun. There was a little 12 year old boy we found wandering the streets - his mother was an alcoholic and excessive drug user and beat him, his dad was never in his life. That week he spent every day after school and weekend with us, we took him to play mini golf and to the beach…We met these guys the first night, they were really nice and they came around most nights to hang out. There was a (boxing) fight that was televised at the pub up the road, and they came to see us and re-enacted the fight. Ended up knocking a door off its hinges. We bought a screwdriver and fixed it back up. Then the 12 year old we “adopted” ran through the door again, broke the hinges off, so we went back to the hardware store, got new hinges, and fixed the door again! There were also a few holes in the wall so we bought some putty stuff and sander
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and paint and fixed the holes (I’m glad I know how to do these things now). I would never be that stupid again, but it was great at the time and we have some awesome memories from it (Tina). The anecdote relating to the young boy is also illustrative of another sub-theme relating to undertaking adult-like behaviours. Participants often mentioned a perceived duty to others that sometimes resulted in the need to undertake quite demanding care roles. The following extracts provide examples of the various kinds of caring behaviours that were reported. One night my friend was sleeping in our tent and a man started coming into the front room (it was a three-room tent). She texted me and I ran from the other side of the campsite to her, falling over many times. I got there in time to find him with a bottle of Jim Beam in his hand and one girl’s wallet. He dropped it all and fled. I’m not sure what I was expecting to happen, but I’m glad it ended how it did. It wasn’t until I calmed my friend down I realised my leg was viciously bleeding. In my run I managed to trip over a star picket and to this day I still have a large 8cm scar down my shin. Luckily I was too drunk to feel the pain, so that was good (Amanda). We were so drunk people were falling over, There were loads of people having sex all around the paddock (we held it on a farm in a paddock in a marque). A few people spewing and wanting to go home. It was a cool experience to help out the drunken ones (Nadia). Another reported behaviour that was reminiscent of adult roles related to relationship problems among couples. Some participants reported either experiencing arguments with their own partners or witnessing their friends’ relationships deteriorating. My Schoolies experience wasn’t great. At the time I was in a relationship and I ended up spending the entire week arguing with my girlfriend over stupid and small things. The role alcohol played kind of was to help get past the tension and fights, because nothing could take our minds off it (Stephen).
Discussion The results of the present study support previous work that has shown that young people perceive very strong associations
between Schoolies celebrations and excessive alcohol consumption.1,2,6,10 These strong associations were largely positively valenced for the study participants, with most recollecting their alcohol-related experiences during Schoolies with considerable sentimental attachment. This emotional connection may represent the most difficult aspect to address in future interventions that aim to disassociate Schoolies with heavy alcohol consumption. In addition to many young people perceiving excessive alcohol consumption to be a typical and eagerly anticipated aspect of Schoolies celebrations, it appears that some parents may share this tendency to attribute a venerated role to alcohol during this rite of passage. As reported by the study participants, some parents actively facilitate their children’s alcohol consumption despite well-publicised alcohol control measures that aim to limit Leavers’ access to alcohol. Parents may therefore constitute an important audience for future communications on this topic, especially in relation to secondary supply. Despite strong public support, recommendations from health and police authorities, and an independent state Government review,17 WA has not yet implemented legislation to address either secondary supply or controlled purchase. These measures, which have been introduced in some other states, would be particularly timely given the impending cohort age change. The Schoolies-specific alcohol control measures that have been implemented in WA appear to have acted as a deterrent to some young people and their parents, but many of the study participants reported engaging in very heavy drinking by circumventing existing controls. They recognised and accepted the risks of alcohol-related harm, which were readily tolerated in the broader context of engaging in the muchanticipated rituals associated with escaping adult oversight and expressing their new maturity. This suggests that rather than just focusing on increasing awareness of harms, other approaches may be needed that more effectively target Leavers’ motives for engaging in risky drinking behaviours. Some insight into potential intervention approaches may be obtained from the identified segment of young people who eschew the heavy alcohol consumption associated with ‘typical’ Schoolies events. Although this exploratory, qualitative study
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cannot estimate the size of this segment, the findings highlight the existence of this form of ‘positive deviance’ that may suggest alternative activities and pastimes that can be attractive to Leavers and therefore useful in intervention design. The concept of positive deviance relates to minorities that adapt to circumstances in ways that improve outcomes relative to the majority who continue to enact behaviours that have negative outcomes.18 Campaigns based on instances of positive deviance have the potential to encourage behaviour change by highlighting behaviours that already exist and are being modelled by peers, and therefore can be observed and imitated.19 Such an approach is consistent with the large body of literature demonstrating the critical role of social norms and modelling behaviours on alcohol consumption decisions, especially in social contexts.20-22 Specifically, the findings of the present study suggest that it may be possible to reduce the strong association between Schoolies and heavy drinking by developing strategies to increase the awareness and attractiveness of the identified alternative behaviours to Leavers. Examples of such behaviours discussed by the study participants included trips to non-Schoolie-designated areas and spending time with peers in a variety of active (e.g. camping, surfing) and non-active (e.g. movie marathon) pastimes. The data suggest that activities that allow Leavers to unwind while adopting adult-like behaviours to communicate their change in maturity status are likely to be of particular interest. The spending power of this group and their resulting commercial attractiveness could be harnessed to develop a range of alternative activities that meet the need for social interaction, relaxation, and new experiences. Given the experiences of other states,7 it seems likely that alternative activities need to be promoted and implemented by organisations other than traditional authority figures to enhance their attractiveness as expressions of autonomy and independence. Importantly, the data suggest that such activities should be positioned as enticing and exciting options that do not require Leavers to consciously choose to avoid alcohol-related pastimes. The evident strong association between alcohol and Schoolies identified in this and previous research highlights that interventions that rely on deliberate avoidance or minimisation of alcohol consumption are destined to fail among the majority of Leavers who find the association natural and desirable. Instead,
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alternatives should be positioned as being highly attractive to peer groups to leverage the critical role of social norms for this age group.21,22 This study has limitations resulting from the qualitative approach adopted. While the introspection method generated rich data, the sample was modest in size and limited to current drinkers. Future quantitative research could assess the extent to which the identified themes are representative of the broader group of Leavers. Similarly, subsequent efforts to better understand the Schoolies phenomenon and identify appropriate alternative activities to promote to Leavers would ideally involve national data collection to ensure recommendations are appropriate for students across the country. In the present study, recall bias may have affected reporting, which could be addressed in future research by accessing Leavers at a point in time that is closer to their Schoolies experiences. Lastly, the specific nature of the introspection prompt and the focus of the broader study on alcohol consumption may have resulted in an over-emphasis on alcohol in the responses. However, the consistency of the findings with previous research that has found alcohol to be an integral element of Schoolies events suggests that the findings remain relevant and useful for policy makers interested in reducing alcohol-related harms at such events. To conclude, the extent to which alcohol is currently embedded in Schoolies activities constitutes a substantial challenge for parents, the community, and relevant authorities. Reflecting what happens elsewhere, the findings suggest that once many WA Leavers are 18 years of age, there is likely to be an escalation of heavy drinking and associated alcohol-related harms because of the strong association among Leavers between alcohol and Schoolies celebrations. Creative and timely responses to this imminent problem are needed and a sustained approach will be required to change the strong cultural role of alcohol in Schoolies celebrations for future cohorts.7 This study provides insight into the types of expectations and beliefs that need to be addressed to make alternative behaviours salient and attractive. These insights may also have utility for the management of other situations where young people engage in excessive and harm-inducing levels of alcohol consumption as part of the rite of passage to adulthood, such as first-year orientation celebrations at universities.
Acknowledgement This study was funded by a research grant awarded by the Western Australian Drug and Alcohol Office (Healthway Grant # 24033).
References 1. Howat P, Jancey J, Binns C. Are there more positive alternative celebration opportunities to Schoolies Week? Health Promot J Austr. 2013;24:161–2. 2. Midford R, Midford S, Farringdon F. School leaver (graduate) celebrations in Margaret River, Western Australia: A community approach to management. Subst Use Misuse. 2007;42:1915–32. 3. Munro G. Schoolies: Advice for parents. Grogwatch. 2012; November 16. 4. Murphy L, O’Hara N, Driscoll R. Report on Dunsborough Leavers’ Week 2005. Perth (AUST): Office for Children and Youth and the Office of Crime Prevention; 2006. 5. Midford R, Young N, Farringdon F, Bogaards T. School leaver celebrations in Western Australia: A threeyear intervention study. Int J Health Promot Educ. 2004;42(4):100-8. 6. Quek L-H, White A, Low C, Brown J, Dalton N, Dow D, et al. Good choices, great future: An applied theatre prevention program to reduce alcohol-related risky behaviours during Schoolies. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2012;31:897–902. 7. Salom C, Watts M, Kinner S, Young D. Schoolies week in perspective: Studies of alcohol, drug and risk-taking behaviour. Of Substance. 2005;3:26-8. 8. Smith AMA, Rosenthal D. Sex, alcohol and drugs? Young people’s experience of Schoolies Week Aust N Z J Public Health. 1997;21:175-80. 9. Lam T, Liang W, Chikritzhs T, Allsop S. Alcohol and other drug use at school leavers’ celebrations. J Public Health. 2014;36(3):408-16. 10. Hutton A, Cusack L, Zannettino L. Building public policy to support young people in reducing alcohol-related harm when partying at Schoolies Festivals. Aust J Prim Health. 2012;18:96–100. 11. Roach K, Salom C. Final Report of Schoolies Celebrations in Victoria 2009: Analysis, Conclusions and Recommendations. Melbourne (AUST): Victorian Department of Human Services; 2010. 12. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 4221.0. - Schools, Australia, 2009. Canberra (AUST): ABS; 2010. 13. Pettigrew S, Pescud M. Investigating parents’ foodprovision behaviours via the sensitisation method. Appetite. 2013;65:117–24. 14. Gould SJ. Researcher introspection as a method in consumer research: Applications, issues, and implications. J Consum Res. 1995;21:719-22. 15. Woodside A. Advancing from subjective to confirmatory personal introspection in consumer research. Psychol Market. 2004;21:987–1010. 16. National Health and Medical Research Council. Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol. Canberra (AUST): Commonwealth of Australia; 2009. 17. Independent Review Committee. Liquor Control Act 1988. Report of the Independent Review Committee, 2013. Perth (AUST): Western Australian Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor; 2013. 18. Marsh DR, Schroeder DG, Dearden KA, Sternin J, Sternin M. The power of positive deviance. Br Med J. 2004;329:1177-9. 19. Singhal A. Communicating what works! Applying the positive deviance approach in health communication. Health Commun. 2010;25:605–6. 20. Collins RL, Marlatt GA. Social modeling as a determinant of drinking behavior: Implications for prevention and treatment. Addict Behav. 1981;6:233-9. 21. Oostveen T, Knibbe R, de Vries H. Social influences on young adults’alcohol consumption: Norms, modeling, pressure, socializing, and conformity. Addict Behav. 1996;21:187-97. 22. Teunissen H, Spijkerman R, Cohen G, Prinstein M, Engels R, Scholte R. An experimental study on the effects of peer drinking norms on adolescents’ drinker prototypes. Addict Behav. 2014;39:85-93.
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Understanding and addressing the Schoolies phenomenon Simone Pettigrew,1 Nicole Biagioni,1 Mike Daube,2 Sandra C. Jones,3 Tanya Chikritzhs,4 Gary Kirby5
S
choolies is the period of celebration undertaken by Australian school students (Leavers) after completing their final exams.1-4 It is recognised as a rite of passage that typically involves Leavers travelling to holiday destinations where they congregate in large numbers to mark the end of their secondary schooling and the commencement of a more independent stage of life.5-7 These celebrations can last from a few days to a few weeks.8 The ‘Schoolies’ ritual has been well-entrenched for many decades on the Gold Coast in Queensland, and more recently has also become common in Western Australia (WA).1,6,9 Favoured destinations for WA Leavers include Rottnest (a holiday island) and some of the larger towns in the South West (Dunsborough, Busselton, and Margaret River).2,4 Schoolies is synonymous with the consumption of excessive quantities of alcohol.1,2,6,7,10 This excessive consumption results in alcohol-related harms for many participants. Males attending ‘Leavers 2009’ on Rottnest Island, for example, drank an average of 18 standard drinks per day, and females consumed an average of 13 standard drinks per day.9 As a result of these high levels of intake, a large majority experienced at least one adverse outcome such as hangover, vomiting, blackout, or unprotected sex.9 The heaviest drinkers at Schoolies have been found to be males and those who previously consumed alcohol frequently.2,6,9 Only a small body of work has examined the Schoolies phenomenon in terms of the
Abstract Objective: This study qualitatively explored Western Australian school leavers’ alcohol-related experiences during the Schoolies period to generate insights for the purpose of intervention design. This is in the context of an impending change in the age of Western Australian students completing secondary school which, for the first time, will see around half being of legal age to purchase alcohol. Method: Fifty-four 18-21-year-olds provided reflections via an emailed introspection on their experiences in the immediate post-school period. This provided access to the views of those who chose to attend events and consume large amounts of alcohol, those who attended events but refrained from excessive alcohol consumption, and those who elected to either avoid Schoolies events or engage in alternative celebrations. The data were coded and analysed using NVivo10. Results: Three primary themes were identified that related to the perceived role of alcohol during Schoolies, the range of associated rite-of-passage rituals, and the strategies used by some Leavers to avoid alcohol and its consequences during the Schoolies period. Conclusion: Students and parents constitute important target groups for interventions designed to address alcohol-related harms during Schoolies. In the WA context, legislation on secondary supply and controlled purchase, as recommended by health and police authorities, could reduce harms that are likely to result from the change in the age of school leavers. Suggestions for alternative pastimes to promote to school leavers are provided. Key words: alcohol, students, policy
motives and expectancies of young people participating in the event. Exceptions include studies by Hutton et al.,10 Lam et al.,9 Midford et al.,5 and Roach and Salom.11 These studies have found that high levels of intoxication are sought, expected, and obtained by large numbers of Leavers. Other explicitly-stated motives relate to opportunities to unwind, socialise with friends, meet new people, be independent of their parents, and attend music events. Throughout this work it is clear that Schoolies is a highly significant rite
of passage that holds special meaning for members of this age group. However, there appears to be little if any work exploring the attitudes and motives of those Leavers who choose not to participate in large-scale Schoolies celebrations. It is reported that risk management strategies are in place in an attempt to minimise adverse outcomes in various celebration locations around the country,11 but little is known of their nature or their effectiveness.
1. School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Western Australia 2. Public Health Advocacy Institute, Curtin University, Western Australia 3. Centre for Health and Social Research (CHaSR), Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Victoria 4. National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Western Australia 5. Drug and Alcohol Office, Western Australian Department of Health Correspondence to: Professor Simone Pettigrew, School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845; e-mail: [email protected] Submitted: April 2014; Revision Requested: June 2014; Accepted: October 2014 The authors have stated they have no conflict of interest. Aust NZ J Public Health. 2015; 39:135-40; doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12324
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In the WA context, numerous strategies have been implemented to reduce the negative consequences associated with Schoolies celebrations, including education, harm minimisation, and alcohol supply control strategies.4,6 Education is often provided in schools, while harm minimisation includes strategies such as the provision of ‘recovery tents’ in Schoolies areas. Supply control strategies include checking identification when purchasing alcohol or entering licensed premises and seizing alcohol from minors when in public. Police maintain a highly visible presence in Schoolies areas, and stopand-search procedures are used to check cars entering these areas. Alcohol found in vehicles that have only minors as occupants is seized and destroyed, and large quantities of alcohol in possession of a young adult may attract questioning about secondary supply intentions. A major impending change in the Schoolies phenomenon will necessitate a reconsideration of these strategies. To bring the school ages of WA students in line with those elsewhere in the country, a half cohort entered the school system in 2002.12 This half cohort is in Year 12 in 2014, and is the last cohort in which almost all students will be 17 years of age at the completion of their schooling. In 2015, around half of young people attending Schoolies events will be 18 years of age and legally able to purchase alcohol, with the other half still under-age.
The data were collected as part of a larger study investigating alcohol-related beliefs and behaviours among drinkers aged 18-21 years. ‘Drinkers’ were defined as those who
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The inclusion of introspections in the study design allowed individuals to consider issues in their own time and to identify and reflect on relevant factors,14 thereby potentially generating insights above and beyond those that can be captured via more traditional data collection methods.14,15 The introspection contents were a combination of participantselected topics and optional topics suggested by the researchers. Ethics approval for the study was obtained from the Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee.
Participants
While other Australian states have had to contend with mixed age groups for some time, it will require a re-consideration of current strategies employed in WA and new approaches will be required to ensure that the progress made in recent years is not foregone. To provide insight into potential strategies that can be used in WA and elsewhere, the present study generated qualitative data pertaining to Leavers’ alcoholrelated experiences during the Schoolies period. The data were analysed to identify the factors that influenced decisions relating to event attendance and alcohol consumption to provide insight into how the Schoolies phenomenon may be better addressed in the future to reduce alcohol-related harms among Leavers.
Method
consumed alcohol at least 2-3 days per month. The study used the sensitisation approach,13 which involves collecting substantial quantities of qualitative data from a cohort over a period of at least six months to observe their changing views and behaviours in relation to the phenomenon of interest. In the present study, young adult drinkers committed to share their alcohol-related beliefs and experiences continuously over a six-month period via individual interviews, focus groups, and fortnightly emailed introspections. In total, participants were asked to provide 15 data inputs (2 interviews, 1 focus group, and 12 introspections), for which they could receive up to $600 compensation across the six months (i.e. an average of $40 per data collection episode).
An ISO accredited social research agency was used to undertake participant recruitment. The agency has a database of almost 200,000 Australians who are attracted to the panel through a wide range of recruitment activities that include online advertising, handing flyers out at train stations, and telephone random digit dialling. The agency issued invitations to 823 of their database members who met the location (Perth) and age range (18-21 years) eligibility criteria. The invitation advised potential participants that they were being offered the opportunity to “participate in a study in relation to alcohol consumption”. In addition, online advertisements were placed on various websites (e.g., Google searches and social media platforms). Of the 380 individuals who responded to the invitation/advertisements, 106 were excluded due to ineligibility or full quotas (50% male, 50% female; 50% 18-19 years, 50% 20-21 years) and 197 were unable to commit to the six-month duration of the study. Of the remaining 77 potential participants, 17 withdrew upon initial contact with the researchers, resulting in a final sample of
60 drinkers. One-third of the participants reported typical alcohol consumption levels that were classified as low risk for longterm alcohol-related harm by the National Health and Medical Research Council.16 The remaining two-thirds were classified as being at high risk of alcohol-related harm because their reported alcohol intake averaged more than two standard drinks per day.
Procedure Early in the six-month study period, participants were given the option of sharing their Schoolies experiences in one of their introspections. The introspection prompt emailed to the study participants was: “Please describe your Leavers/Schoolies experience, including the role, if any, of alcohol.” This approach allowed the study participants to reflect on their Schoolies experiences in their own time and to identify and discuss those aspects of their experiences that they considered to be most important and relevant, with a particular focus on alcohol. Of the total sample, 54 participants elected to provide an introspection on their Schoolies experience.
Analysis The data were analysed using NVivo10. After an initial reading of the introspections, the content of each was coded to a range of demographic, attitudinal, and behavioural variables. Reflecting the adoption of a thematic analysis approach and the resulting use of an emergent coding hierarchy, a single coder (the lead author) undertook the coding task. Text, coding, and matrix searches were then used to identify themes in the data, which were discussed, refined, and agreed among the research team. In the following section, the identified themes are illustrated with use of extracts from the introspections. Pseudonyms are used throughout.
Results Many participants recounted vivid memories that included both positive and negative elements. Three primary themes were generated from the data (Table 1). The first theme relates to the perceived role of alcohol in Schoolies celebrations, with most considering the presence and ingestion of alcohol to be a deeply embedded and vital component of Schoolies. As reflected in the second theme, while the association between alcohol and Schoolies was generally accepted, there were some who sought to
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woke up, we would start the morning with shots. This became the norm for the remainder of the week (David).
distance themselves from the heavy drinking of their peers. The third theme locates alcohol consumption within the broader context of the numerous ‘rite of passage’ activities undertaken by young people during the Schoolies period.
Probably the highlight was the final night when everyone joined in and got drunk and danced and the night was without drama. We put all our empty bottles around the perimeter of the house and actually almost circled it twice. When we requested extra bins the next morning for clean up, the owner told us to leave it so he could take lots of photos before we take it down, he was that impressed. So much fun (Caleb).
Theme 1: Schoolies = alcohol Integral Most participants discussed at length the various ways in which alcohol was embedded in their Schoolies experiences. They reported positively anticipating their drinking activities during the school year and enjoying the alcohol-related aspects of their Schoolies celebrations. The extent to which alcohol was perceived as being integral to the Schoolies experience was consistent across male and female participants: Alcohol’s role at Schoolies was the enabler, the joy maker, the medicine, the object of trade, the breakfast, lunch and tea, the dessert. Basically, alcohol was all Schoolies was (Amanda).
We all saved up about $200 each for alcohol and bought it all on our way up. From memory, I think I bought two cartons of beer and two bottles of spirits for the five days we were going to be there. Everyone else bought a similar amount of alcohol (Ethan).
Schoolies has a big importance placed on alcohol consumption, and that is part of the appeal to me. To go get really wasted with friends for five nights away from home seemed like a perfect time (Mark).
Sneaking behaviours
Quantity focus As indicated in the extracts provided above, among the majority of participants reporting that alcohol was an important element of their Schoolies’ experience, great emphasis was placed on the quantity of alcohol consumed. Quantity appeared to be a much more salient attribute than the type (beer, wine, spirits) or quality of the beverages selected. Inebriation was described as the primary goal. Appreciation of any aesthetic qualities was conspicuous by its absence in descriptions of drinking choices and activities: During my Schoolies experience, alcohol was a MAJOR factor. From the moment we arrived, we consumed alcohol until extremely intoxicated. We continued until we eventually passed out. And when we
Consistent with the importance of the anticipation aspect of alcohol consumption during Schoolies, some participants reported that their high levels of consumption were planned long in advance. They described how they had saved up during the year to allow them to buy large quantities of alcohol to see them through the celebration period:
The stated importance of alcohol was reflected in the lengths that were taken by many participants to facilitate their drinking during the Schoolies period. While the alcohol control strategies implemented by the WA Police served as a deterrent for some, for others it prompted creative approaches to the transportation of alcohol to Schoolies venues. These young people appeared to embrace the challenge and incorporate sneaking behaviours into their event planning. Sneaking occurred in the context of both travel to geographical locations and gaining access to specific celebratory events: The preparation for Schoolies was actually pretty intense. For example, the group knew that when they drove down on Schoolies week they wouldn’t be able to cart down
Table 1: Summary of themes. Theme 1: Schoolies = Alcohol
Theme 2: We’re not all like that
Theme 3: Playing grown-ups
Integral
Going elsewhere
Unrestrained alcohol consumption
Quantity focus
There but doing other things
Keeping house
Sneaking alcohol
Protective factors: relationships and religion
Duty of care
Harms expected and accepted
‘Relationship problems’
Parental complicity
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alcohol. So three months before Schoolies, a small group drove to the house and they took a car full of alcohol so they had it ready for when they went down (Megan). At the raves (organised parties), one of us would always sneak in a bottle of booze for the group. We would all buy a Powerade or soft drink and share the alcohol between us. Sometimes we would take the free lollies from the volunteers and put it in our vodka to flavour it (Amanda).
Harms expected and accepted In line with participants’ perceptions of the integral role of alcohol in Schoolies celebrations, there was an apparent acceptance of the alcohol-related harms that accompanied their high levels of intake. In some instances these harms were viewed as unfortunate incidents, while in other instances they constituted ‘badges of honour’ that also served as humorous anecdotes to be shared. The most commonly mentioned harms were vomiting and hangovers, although some experienced more serious physical injuries: We also thought that at 10am in the morning it was a good idea to open a bottle of Vodka. I got a little carried away though and managed to finish around six glasses in one hour. This was the worst idea ever. I don’t really remember much, but I remember waking up in my bed six hours later and it was the first night of the parties. I remember vomiting for four hours at least into a bucket. That evening I was set on going to the parties so I got dressed, which is very hard, especially when you are trying to put make up on. I spent the whole night vomiting up bile and did not enjoy it one bit. The next day I woke up and felt the worst I have ever felt in my life, but of course I started drinking again (Leah). On one of the nights, Ben ran flat out into an air conditioner and split his eye open which resulted in stitches. Ben being drunk and thinking he was awesome told everyone he’d been bottled (Georgia). For some of the females, another form of harm involved unwanted or regretted experiences with members of the opposite sex. Of note was that when referring to more minor incidents, the female participants reported their own personal experiences. Where more serious episodes occurred, they were reported as happening to others: The zone (boundaried music concert and amusement park area) wasn’t very enjoyable. If a friend and I wanted to go
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dance we would have to manoeuvre our way through crowds of disgusting boys who thought it was cool to grind up against us and try to kiss us. The bus rides to the zone were spent having to listen to majority of the bus chant “TITS OUT FOR THE BOYS” (Sarah).
seat, in a juice bottle, and cereal box so the holiday park owner would not confiscate it from us (Elena). Other parents were adequately discouraged by the control measures implemented in WA to attempt to prevent their children from transporting alcohol to the celebration sites:
One of the girls who was with us, who was a virgin, got tipsy and then took a guy to her room that she had just met that day. Then when we asked her about it when she came out, she had a scream at us (Kimberley).
We heard news of parents being pulled over and being fined around $2000 for having alcohol in their car with minors. As you could imagine, my best friend’s parents were not as cooperative with the matter as they were before. They decided we weren’t allowed to take any of the stuff we bought. We were upset, of course, but that didn’t deter us from smuggling even the slightest amounts of alcohol, unbeknownst to his parents. We hid vodka in water bottles and goon bags (cask wine) in pillowcases and headed off the day after (Andrew).
Rather than recognising excessive alcohol consumption as a source of risk, some participants viewed it as a protective factor. This perceived protection included both emotional aspects, such as where they felt that intoxication prevented them from becoming upset over personal or social issues, and physical aspects, such as reduced ability to register pain:
Theme 2: We’re not all like that
Alcohol also proved to be a saving grace for me, as I sprained my ankle pretty badly in the mosh, but kept on dancing and walking around because the alcohol in my system dulled how bad it actually felt. I also ended up running 5km home with a friend from a party drunk. The next day my ankle had swollen to the size of a large tennis ball, but I hadn’t felt such pain when I was drunk off my face (Anthony).
Parental complicity According to many of the participants, their parents also perceived alcohol as an integral element of the Schoolies experience. While these parents may not necessarily have wanted their children to engage in excessive drinking, some actively facilitated access to enable this to happen. This was interpreted by the participants as the parents being either understanding and helpful or resigned and hopeful that their involvement would reduce overall harms through the provision of what the parents considered to be moderate amounts of alcohol: On the first night my friend’s dad bought us hundreds (of dollars) worth of alcohol, spirits, cruisers, which mostly went in the first night (Tina). I travelled to Dunsborough with five other girls from my graduating class. We were driven down by my friend’s mum. I think she felt she knew that Schoolies involved drinking so would rather know what alcohol we had instead of turning a blind eye. She took us to the bottle shop then helped us disguise the alcohol within a car
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Around a quarter of the study participants stated that they had not attended any of the ‘typical’ Schoolies-related events and/or that they had intentionally attended events where alcohol consumption was not a focus. The primary stated reason was a preference to avoid exposure to alcohol and the drunken behaviours of their peers, which were viewed as unattractive and undesirable. For these participants, and in contrast to the views of the majority, alcohol is unnecessary for the achievement of enjoyment and instead can result in the opposite outcome. Schoolies didn’t appeal to me as a week of drunken antics. For me it was more a week to spend with my best friend with no parents and no school to worry about. I think that has been lost on most people who not only risk their lives but the lives of those around them when they get drunk underage in dangerous situations (Ella). None of us had any desire to join the culture of getting totally smashed at some Schoolies party in some strange country like Bali, or down south like Busselton and Margaret River or Rottnest. None of us have any regrets about not joining in the Schoolies party scene. How many of them come back from Schoolies with huge hangover, embarrassment at having sex with some stranger or taking some substance that left them off them their faces? Most of them can’t recall what really went on, they just assume they had a great time. Whereas my friends and I know we had a cool time without alcohol, drugs, or anything else (Mitchell).
Avoiding alcohol-fuelled Schoolies activities was achieved in two main ways. The first was by choosing to patronise other locations (e.g. Kalbarri (a smaller beachside town to the north of Perth), remote campsites, and other major cities). The second was by attending the same sites as their heavy-drinking peers, but focusing on different pastimes over the period that did not involve excessive alcohol consumption. Specific pastimes mentioned included spending time at the beach (swimming, surfing, and snorkelling), camping, hiking, and movie/TV marathons. My Schoolies experience was great. We were camping 50 metres from the beach, in a cove that was great for snorkelling and surfing. Alcohol didn’t really play a big part in that experience (Anna). My Schoolies experience was held in Melbourne…I wanted my celebration of leaving school to be memorable, where I tried different things and actually had a story that wouldn’t be like every Dick, Tom and Harry; “I got wasted and threw up everywhere, it was so much fun”. I wanted to be a little more classy, sue me (Chloe). For some, being in a close relationship (romantic or friendship) or having a strong religious affiliation appeared to be protective of excessive alcohol consumption. I went down South with my best friend for a week outside of the traditional Schoolies week. We spent it walking into town from our resort room, swimming in the pool and beach, watching movies and the show Supernatural. Between the two of us we had 16 cruisers, and on our way back we still had four not including the two we tipped down the sink during the week because we didn’t like the flavour (Ella). I went to Ningaloo Reef with an organisation called Scripture Union that runs Schoolies programs. They run drug- and alcohol-free events and then action pack the week with heaps of activities that are available. I went kayaking, hiking, camp-outs on the beach, windsurfing, snorkelling, and swimming. I chose to go to this Schoolies because every year on the news you see the typical Dunsborough and Rottnest Schoolies and they just look awful and tacky, and my close group of friends at school also didn’t like the idea of being in that environment. We were all drinking by the age of 16 anyway, but nothing like this. But I was fine not drinking and actually enjoying myself doing other things. It just goes to show that drinking alcohol doesn’t always mean you are having more fun (Liana).
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Theme 3 - Playing grown-ups The participants reported a range of behaviours that, in combination, represented a rapid and intentional rite of passage into adulthood. There was an emphasis on accumulating experiences that positioned them as adults with associated rights and responsibilities. A key experience, as discussed at length above, was engaging in unrestrained alcohol consumption as a demonstration of their new maturity. Alcohol made it much more of a ‘coming of age’ type of thing. Made us feel older and less juvi (juvenile) (Luke). Many of the participants who travelled to celebration sites stayed in rental homes because this avoided the stringent alcohol control measures being implemented at camp sites and holiday resorts. Those choosing this accommodation alternative seemed to enjoy ‘keeping house’, and reported engaging in behaviours such as playing host by inviting others to visit (sometimes complete strangers) and feeling entitled to damage the property and then taking responsibility for repairing the damage. The following extended extract provides insight into how Schoolies can provide an opportunity for young people to take on the mantle of home owners in ways that can have both positive and negative outcomes for those involved. We rented a house for a week, a nice twostorey big house, and it was chaos. The first night my friend’s dad bought us hundreds (of dollars) worth of alcohol, spirits, cruisers, lots which mostly went in the first night. We invited randoms (strangers) over from the town and played drinking games and had fun. There was a little 12 year old boy we found wandering the streets - his mother was an alcoholic and excessive drug user and beat him, his dad was never in his life. That week he spent every day after school and weekend with us, we took him to play mini golf and to the beach…We met these guys the first night, they were really nice and they came around most nights to hang out. There was a (boxing) fight that was televised at the pub up the road, and they came to see us and re-enacted the fight. Ended up knocking a door off its hinges. We bought a screwdriver and fixed it back up. Then the 12 year old we “adopted” ran through the door again, broke the hinges off, so we went back to the hardware store, got new hinges, and fixed the door again! There were also a few holes in the wall so we bought some putty stuff and sander
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and paint and fixed the holes (I’m glad I know how to do these things now). I would never be that stupid again, but it was great at the time and we have some awesome memories from it (Tina). The anecdote relating to the young boy is also illustrative of another sub-theme relating to undertaking adult-like behaviours. Participants often mentioned a perceived duty to others that sometimes resulted in the need to undertake quite demanding care roles. The following extracts provide examples of the various kinds of caring behaviours that were reported. One night my friend was sleeping in our tent and a man started coming into the front room (it was a three-room tent). She texted me and I ran from the other side of the campsite to her, falling over many times. I got there in time to find him with a bottle of Jim Beam in his hand and one girl’s wallet. He dropped it all and fled. I’m not sure what I was expecting to happen, but I’m glad it ended how it did. It wasn’t until I calmed my friend down I realised my leg was viciously bleeding. In my run I managed to trip over a star picket and to this day I still have a large 8cm scar down my shin. Luckily I was too drunk to feel the pain, so that was good (Amanda). We were so drunk people were falling over, There were loads of people having sex all around the paddock (we held it on a farm in a paddock in a marque). A few people spewing and wanting to go home. It was a cool experience to help out the drunken ones (Nadia). Another reported behaviour that was reminiscent of adult roles related to relationship problems among couples. Some participants reported either experiencing arguments with their own partners or witnessing their friends’ relationships deteriorating. My Schoolies experience wasn’t great. At the time I was in a relationship and I ended up spending the entire week arguing with my girlfriend over stupid and small things. The role alcohol played kind of was to help get past the tension and fights, because nothing could take our minds off it (Stephen).
Discussion The results of the present study support previous work that has shown that young people perceive very strong associations
between Schoolies celebrations and excessive alcohol consumption.1,2,6,10 These strong associations were largely positively valenced for the study participants, with most recollecting their alcohol-related experiences during Schoolies with considerable sentimental attachment. This emotional connection may represent the most difficult aspect to address in future interventions that aim to disassociate Schoolies with heavy alcohol consumption. In addition to many young people perceiving excessive alcohol consumption to be a typical and eagerly anticipated aspect of Schoolies celebrations, it appears that some parents may share this tendency to attribute a venerated role to alcohol during this rite of passage. As reported by the study participants, some parents actively facilitate their children’s alcohol consumption despite well-publicised alcohol control measures that aim to limit Leavers’ access to alcohol. Parents may therefore constitute an important audience for future communications on this topic, especially in relation to secondary supply. Despite strong public support, recommendations from health and police authorities, and an independent state Government review,17 WA has not yet implemented legislation to address either secondary supply or controlled purchase. These measures, which have been introduced in some other states, would be particularly timely given the impending cohort age change. The Schoolies-specific alcohol control measures that have been implemented in WA appear to have acted as a deterrent to some young people and their parents, but many of the study participants reported engaging in very heavy drinking by circumventing existing controls. They recognised and accepted the risks of alcohol-related harm, which were readily tolerated in the broader context of engaging in the muchanticipated rituals associated with escaping adult oversight and expressing their new maturity. This suggests that rather than just focusing on increasing awareness of harms, other approaches may be needed that more effectively target Leavers’ motives for engaging in risky drinking behaviours. Some insight into potential intervention approaches may be obtained from the identified segment of young people who eschew the heavy alcohol consumption associated with ‘typical’ Schoolies events. Although this exploratory, qualitative study
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cannot estimate the size of this segment, the findings highlight the existence of this form of ‘positive deviance’ that may suggest alternative activities and pastimes that can be attractive to Leavers and therefore useful in intervention design. The concept of positive deviance relates to minorities that adapt to circumstances in ways that improve outcomes relative to the majority who continue to enact behaviours that have negative outcomes.18 Campaigns based on instances of positive deviance have the potential to encourage behaviour change by highlighting behaviours that already exist and are being modelled by peers, and therefore can be observed and imitated.19 Such an approach is consistent with the large body of literature demonstrating the critical role of social norms and modelling behaviours on alcohol consumption decisions, especially in social contexts.20-22 Specifically, the findings of the present study suggest that it may be possible to reduce the strong association between Schoolies and heavy drinking by developing strategies to increase the awareness and attractiveness of the identified alternative behaviours to Leavers. Examples of such behaviours discussed by the study participants included trips to non-Schoolie-designated areas and spending time with peers in a variety of active (e.g. camping, surfing) and non-active (e.g. movie marathon) pastimes. The data suggest that activities that allow Leavers to unwind while adopting adult-like behaviours to communicate their change in maturity status are likely to be of particular interest. The spending power of this group and their resulting commercial attractiveness could be harnessed to develop a range of alternative activities that meet the need for social interaction, relaxation, and new experiences. Given the experiences of other states,7 it seems likely that alternative activities need to be promoted and implemented by organisations other than traditional authority figures to enhance their attractiveness as expressions of autonomy and independence. Importantly, the data suggest that such activities should be positioned as enticing and exciting options that do not require Leavers to consciously choose to avoid alcohol-related pastimes. The evident strong association between alcohol and Schoolies identified in this and previous research highlights that interventions that rely on deliberate avoidance or minimisation of alcohol consumption are destined to fail among the majority of Leavers who find the association natural and desirable. Instead,
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alternatives should be positioned as being highly attractive to peer groups to leverage the critical role of social norms for this age group.21,22 This study has limitations resulting from the qualitative approach adopted. While the introspection method generated rich data, the sample was modest in size and limited to current drinkers. Future quantitative research could assess the extent to which the identified themes are representative of the broader group of Leavers. Similarly, subsequent efforts to better understand the Schoolies phenomenon and identify appropriate alternative activities to promote to Leavers would ideally involve national data collection to ensure recommendations are appropriate for students across the country. In the present study, recall bias may have affected reporting, which could be addressed in future research by accessing Leavers at a point in time that is closer to their Schoolies experiences. Lastly, the specific nature of the introspection prompt and the focus of the broader study on alcohol consumption may have resulted in an over-emphasis on alcohol in the responses. However, the consistency of the findings with previous research that has found alcohol to be an integral element of Schoolies events suggests that the findings remain relevant and useful for policy makers interested in reducing alcohol-related harms at such events. To conclude, the extent to which alcohol is currently embedded in Schoolies activities constitutes a substantial challenge for parents, the community, and relevant authorities. Reflecting what happens elsewhere, the findings suggest that once many WA Leavers are 18 years of age, there is likely to be an escalation of heavy drinking and associated alcohol-related harms because of the strong association among Leavers between alcohol and Schoolies celebrations. Creative and timely responses to this imminent problem are needed and a sustained approach will be required to change the strong cultural role of alcohol in Schoolies celebrations for future cohorts.7 This study provides insight into the types of expectations and beliefs that need to be addressed to make alternative behaviours salient and attractive. These insights may also have utility for the management of other situations where young people engage in excessive and harm-inducing levels of alcohol consumption as part of the rite of passage to adulthood, such as first-year orientation celebrations at universities.
Acknowledgement This study was funded by a research grant awarded by the Western Australian Drug and Alcohol Office (Healthway Grant # 24033).
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