A study by a British think tank has given UK youth the dubious distinction of being the most badly behaved teenagers in all of Europe.

The institute looked at the results of a number of studies of adolescents conducted in recent years.

On every indicator of bad behavior-drugs, drinking, violence and promiscuity, the UK kids come out on, or near, the top of the list.

The researchers believe the country's awful record can be attributed to a collapse of family and community life in Britain.

The report says, measured against German, French and Italian youth, British 15 year olds are drunk more often and involved in more fights. The report also says a higher proportion have had sex.

In England 45 percent of 15-year-old boys spend most evenings out with friends, and in Scotland the figure is 59 percent.

In France just 17 percent of 15-year-old boys spent their time that way.

The report claims 93 percent of Italian teenagers eat regularly with their families. In the UK the figure is just 64 percent.

Over 38 percent of British 15 year olds had tried cannabis, compared with 27 percent in Germany and 7 percent in Sweden.

Nick Pearce, an IPPR official said the figures pointed to an "increasing disconnect" between children and adults.

He said youngsters were learning how to behave from one another instead of adults.

"Because they don't have that structured interaction with adults, it damages their life chances," Pearce said. "They are not learning how to behave-how to get on in life- as they need to."