India, Nov. 21 -- 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...