First and foremost, I am incredibly grateful to all of the participants for their valuable contribution to this research project. I am indebted to the parents, teachers, colleagues and friends who kindly helped me to recruit young people into the project. This was a hugely challenging endeavour and I would not have been able to complete this work without them. My PhD studies would also not have been possible without funding from Alcohol Research UK and Oxford Brookes and I feel privileged to

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... e been able to have this experience. I have been fortunate that my supervisors, Professor David Foxcroft and Dr Jilly Martin, are not only kind, patient, encouraging and understanding, but that they also both have a great sense of humour. I have really enjoyed working with them and have benefited greatly from their experience, wisdom and thoughtful feedback on my work throughout this process. Special thanks must go to all of my colleagues, past and present, in the Psychology Department at Oxford Brookes. Thank you for giving me the confidence and self-belief to undertake this challenge. In particular, thank you to Kate Wilmut for her fantastic advice, encouragement and friendship; Wakefield Carter for technical help with my survey; Anna Barnett for her encouragement; Margaret Harris and Vince Connelly for employing me. I am incredibly lucky that I have such fantastic, loyal and supportive friends. Anna Smith proof read this thesis, going way beyond the call of duty, and reasserting her position as the nicest person ever. Carly and Harry Kirkby have cheered me up on endless occasions, Carly even arranged to give birth at the same time that this thesis was due, joining me in the final countdown. Cathy Liddiard and Lucy Gutteridge have always been there for me, making me laugh with endless gibber and fun. I'm also very thankful to Steve