Alcohol

Issues Available Online

BAER, J.S., GINZLER, J.A. AND PETERSON, P.L.    DSM-IV Alcohol and Substance Abuse and Dependence in Homeless Youth

Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe endorsement rates of substance use criteria among homeless adolescents and to evaluate the reliability of diagnostic formulations among a group of adolescents who use more frequently and more heavily than other samples of adolescents. Method: Substance use rates and DSM-IV abuse and dependence criteria were assessed among 198 (109 male) homeless youths between the ages of 13 and 19, as part of a larger study. Endorsement rates and reliability analyses were completed for diagnostic criteria assessed for alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines and heroin. Results: Consistent with other studies of homeless youth, data revealed high rates of substance use and high rates of substance dependence. Both dependence and abuse diagnoses were associated with greater rates of use. DSM-IV criteria showed acceptable internal reliability, although variability was observed when applied to different substances. Of the drugs assessed, problems with heroin use appeared to be best, and marijuana use least, represented by dependence criteria. Criteria pertaining to continued use despite interference with role obligations and the experience of craving were consistently related to other dependence criteria. Conclusions: DSM-IV substance dependence criteria appear to have good internal reliability within a sample of adolescents who use at extremely high rates. Continued development of diagnostic systems for adolescent substance use should consider the social context of use, differential patterns of symptoms across different substances and the inclusion of additional criteria found reliable among adolescent samples. (J. Stud. Alcohol 64: 5-14, 2003)

WHITE, V.M., HILL, D.J. AND EFFENDI, Y.    Patterns of Alcohol Use among Australian Secondary Students: Results of a 1999 Prevalence Study and Comparisons with Earlier Years

Objective: This study was initiated to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use among Australian secondary students in 1999 and to examine changes in that prevalence over a 15-year period between 1984 and 1999. Method: A randomly selected representative sample of approximately 400 secondary schools across Australia participated in the study. At each school, up to 80 randomly selected students completed a pencil-and-paper questionnaire anonymously. Results: The use of alcohol by secondary students was widespread in 1999. By the age of 15, 44% of boys and 36% of girls had consumed alcohol in the week before the survey. Among 16 and 17 year olds, about 50% had consumed alcohol in this time period. Of 16 and 17 year olds who had consumed alcohol in the past week, around 35% had drunk at hazardous levels. Long-term trends in alcohol use showed declines during the late 1980s but increases through the 1990s. While the proportion of hazardous drinkers among 12-15 year olds had not changed throughout the 1990s, the proportion among 16 and 17 year olds had increased over the period of the survey. The proportion of current drinkers buying the last alcoholic drink consumed had decreased since 1987, although there was no change between 1996 and 1999 among 16 and 17 year olds. Conclusions: Alcohol is widely used by secondary students in Australia, and significant proportions of the student population drink at hazardous levels. (J. Stud. Alcohol 64: 15-22, 2003)

HINGSON, R., HEEREN, T., ZAKOCS, R., WINTER, M. AND WECHSLER, H.    Age of First Intoxication, Heavy Drinking, Driving after Drinking and Risk of Unintentional Injury among U.S. College Students

Objective: This study explored whether college students who were first intoxicated by alcohol at ages younger than 19 are more likely to become alcohol dependent and frequent heavy drinkers, drive after drinking, ride with intoxicated drivers and be injured after drinking. It also investigated whether these results occur because these students believe they can drink more and still drive legally and safely. Method: In 1999, 14,138 of 23,751 full-time 4-year students from a random sample of 119 college and universities nationwide completed self-administered questionnaires (response rate: 60%). This analysis focused on 12,550 who were aged 19 or older. Respondents were asked the age at which they first got drunk, as well as questions about recent alcohol-related behaviors and consequences. Results: Compared with respondents first drunk at age 19 or older, those first drunk prior to age 19 were significantly more likely to be alcohol dependent and frequent heavy drinkers, to report driving after any drinking, driving after five or more drinks, riding with a driver who was high or drunk and, after drinking, sustaining injuries that required medical attention. Respondents first intoxicated at younger ages believed they could consume more drinks and still drive safely and legally; this contributed to their greater likelihood of driving after drinking and riding with high or drunk drivers. Conclusions: Educational, clinical, environmental and legal interventions are needed to delay age of first intoxication and to correct misperceptions among adolescents first drunk at an early age about how much they can drink and still drive safely and legally.(J. Stud. Alcohol 64: 23-31, 2003)

GOTHAM, H.J., SHER, K.J. AND WOOD, P.K.    Alcohol Involvement and Developmental Task Completion during Young Adulthood

Objective: Relations among young adult alcohol use disorders (AUDs), preadulthood variables (gender, family history of alcoholism, childhood stressors, high-school class rank, religious involvement, neuroticism, extraversion, psychoticism) and young adult developmental tasks (baccalaureate degree completion, full-time employment, marriage) were evaluated. Method: Participants were 424 first-time college students (228 women) who were 18-20 years old; approximately half had a history of paternal alcoholism. Participants were assessed on five occasions over 7 years (Years 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7). Results: Structural equation modeling results suggest preadulthood variables were more salient predictors of developmental tasks than AUD diagnoses, with the majority of effects due to apparent selection processes. In addition, marriage protected against later AUD diagnosis at Year 7. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of prospective multivariate models that specify potential selection, causation, socialization and reciprocal effects in order to fully examine complex relations among variables, including alcohol involvement, during major life-transition periods. (J. Stud. Alcohol 64: 32-42, 2003)

PASCHALL, M.J.    College Attendance and Risk-Related Driving Behavior in a National Sample of Young Adults

Objective: This study examined and sought to explain the relationship between college attendance and indicators of risk-related driving (drinking and driving, seatbelt use) among young adults who participated in the 1999 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA). Method: In-home interview data collected from 11,549 18-25 year olds were analyzed to examine the relationship between full- or part-time college status, drinking and driving and seatbelt use. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether full- or part-time college attendance would be associated with drinking and driving and seatbelt use when adjusting for demographics and age of onset of alcohol use, and whether these relationships would be explained by place of residence (e.g., dormitory), psychosocial factors (e.g., propensity for risk taking, disapproval of driving after drinking) and past-month heavy drinking. Results: The prevalence of drinking and driving in the past year was highest for full-time college students (34.2%), followed by part-time students (32.8%) and other young adults (27.9%). Full-time students were also more likely to report always wearing a seatbelt as a driver (76.1%) or passenger (70.1%) than were part-time students (71.8%, 68.6%) and other young adults (62.7%, 56.7%). These relationships persisted when adjusting for demographic characteristics and age of onset of alcohol use. The higher level of drinking and driving among full-time students was partially explained by psychosocial factors and past-month heavy drinking, but the higher level of drinking and driving among part-time students was not explained by these variables. The higher levels of seatbelt use among full- and part-time college students were also not explained by place of residence, psychosocial factors or heavy drinking. Conclusions: College students are more likely than other young adults to drink and drive, but are also more likely to wear a seatbelt as a driver or passenger. This pattern of drinking and driving behavior may help to explain similar rates of fatal alcohol-related traffic crashes among college students and other young adults. Additional research is needed to better understand why college students are more likely to drink and drive and wear seatbelts than other young adults in the same age group. (J. Stud. Alcohol 64: 43-49, 2003)