Does Teen Dating Lead to Teen Drinking?

Parents usually worry about their teenagers dating -- and their teenagers drinking. But do the two actually go together?

A new study suggests that teenagers with a new boyfriend or girlfriend tend to be more influenced by the drinking habits of their romantic partner's friends than they are by the partners themselves, according to Health.com. So if a girl's new boyfriend's pals like to have a beer or six, she may soon follow.

"Think of your son or daughter's new significant other as a bridge to a whole other group that he or she is now going to be exposed to," says lead researcher Derek Kreager, Ph.D., an associate professor of crime, law and justice at Pennsylvania State University, according to Healh.com.

While a teen's friends probably have a lot in common with him or her, a new romantic partner's friends may be totally different. And if they drink, the teen who is new to the group has "incentive to be like those friends, because that's what appeals to her partner."

The good news is the opposite is also true. Adolescents may start drinking less when they become involved with a group that abstains -- especially boys, who are more likely to binge drink and may be more influenced by a significant other, according to the study.