IPPR Links Breakdown of Social Capital in Britain with Negative Peer Effects on Youth Behaviour

British teenagers are the worst behaved in Europe, a report by the Institute for Public Poicy Research has revealed. See here.

British teenagers are more likely to binge-drink, take drugs, have sex at a young age and start fights according to the report. The "think-tank closely linked to Labour" says the collapse of family life is at least partly to blame.

It is suggested that "youngsters follow the example set by their friends rather than guidance from their parents". This is an interesting reference point for some of the developing work on youth health risk behaviour in Geary, which tentatively suggests that young people choose their peers based on family background factors, and that this might be the underlying mechanism behind how peer effects influence youth health risk behaviour.