This report documents the social, emotional and behavioural outcomes of the 13-years-olds in the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) study and examines factors that are associated with these outcomes. The analysis is based on data collected from over seven thousand families in Cohort ’98 (Child Cohort) of Growing Up in Ireland interviewed first at Wave 1 (2007) when the children were 9 years of age, and again at Wave 2 (2011) when the children were 13 years of age. This was a key stage in the lives of Cohort ’98 as they transitioned from primary to secondary school – and in the context of the Great Recession of 2008-2013. 

Young people’s reports of their engagement in substance use (drugs, alcohol, etc) was also considered: 9 per cent of the 13-year-olds said they had previously smoked a cigarette, but only 2 per cent of the sample said they currently smoked, and half of these smoked every day. Among those who smoked the average number of cigarettes smoked per week was 17.46. Boys and girls were equally as likely to have smoked or currently smoke. Experimentation with other types of substances was less common: 1.4 per cent said they had previously smoked cannabis (boys more likely than girls), 2.9 per cent said they had sniffed glue, paint or petrol to get high (girls more likely than boys) and 0.4 per cent said had experimented with ‘harder’ drugs, such as cocaine (no differences between boys and girls). All reported differences were statistically significant. 

Use of alcohol was more prevalent – 15.5 per cent of the sample reported that they had previously had a whole alcoholic drink (boys more likely than girls). Seven per cent of the sample had consumed a whole drink in the previous year (boys more likely), and of those, 8.5 per cent drank alcohol at least once a month – this represents 0.6 per cent of the entire sample. Of the 7 per cent who drank in the past year, half had previously been drunk. Although boys were more likely to drink alcohol, there was no gender difference in relation to the frequency of being drunk.  

• Drug use compared to other studies PDF p.93-94
• Smoking, alcohol consumption and experimenting with drugs PDF p.100

• 16% had had an alcoholic drink
• 9% had smoked a cigarette
• 3% had sniffed glue or chemicals
• 1% had tried cannabis