Earlier Alcohol Use and Lower Neuropsychological Performance in Brazilian Adolescence: Is the School Environment Related to This?

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate impulsivity, inhibitory control, and alcohol use in preadolescents and adolescents aged 10 to 16 from public and private schools. METHODS: Participants were 190 adolescents selected from public and private schools in Brazil. Neuropsychological measures related to impulsivity (i.e., Barratt Impulsiveness Scale), inhibitory control (i.e., Go/No-go Task), and processing speed (i.e., Five Digits Test) were assessed. RESULTS: 60% of the sample had started drinking alcohol. Early alcohol consumption is not influenced by type of school, indicating that adolescents consume alcohol early, regardless of the type of education or income. Although there were significant differences in neuropsychological performance between types of schools, better neuropsychological performance was found in students from private schools. CONCLUSIONS: When comparing consumption of alcohol among public and private school students, there were no significant differences, perhaps because the use of early alcohol can be a public health problem. Private school students may perform better in inhibitory control task because they have a good school environment, which serves as a protective factor.