Alcohol use in adolescence: A longitudinal study of predictors of early and excessive drinking and their association with important life outcome

Abstract

In this thesis, predictors of early onset of drinking and excessive drinking, and the prospective relationship between early and excessive drinking and important life outcomes in young adulthood were examined. Data were drawn from three population-based studies, following children from early childhood to young adulthood. Result showed that low levels of shyness, own conduct problems and having friends with deviant behaviour prospectively predicted early onset of intoxication, but not onset of drinking. Moreover, we found that early drinking behaviours, regardless of level, indicate risk of later alcohol-related problems, a risk that persists at least to young adulthood. Finally, we found that early excessive drinking is a marker of risk of adult disadvantage in work and education, while alcohol intoxication in young adulthood indicated no such risk. The findings demonstrate the importance of addressing multiple individual, familial and peer risk factors in early adolescence, not only in prevention of young adult drinking patterns, but also as an effort to prevent detrimental outcomes in other important adult life outcomes, such as education and risk of unemployment and disability