Drinking until Intoxication: A Qualitative Study among Underage Adolescents Admitted to the Emergency Room

This study explored factors that contribute to an alcohol intoxication resulting in Emergency Room (ER) admission among underage adolescents. We conducted qualitative interviews with 14 adolescents (14–18 years old) who experienced an alcohol intoxication requiring ER admission. Motivations for drinking were individual (e.g. curiosity) or social (e.g. having fun). While circumstances and motivations were comparable with other studies among (binge) drinking youth in general, most adolescents in this study did not drink with the intention to get drunk. They often unknowingly and unintentionally crossed their limits because they had not enough knowledge or experience to foresee the consequences.

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