Abstract
Background: Using alcohol at an early age is a well-documented risk factor for heavy drinking and the experience of a range of negative social and health consequences. However, it remains unclear if early consumption of any alcohol or early drinking to intoxication confers the greatest risk. Methods: Age of onset (AO) and delay to first intoxication (delay) were examined as independent predictors of heavy drinking and the experience of alcohol-related problems (problems) in a sample of incoming college freshmen (n = 1,160) who completed biannual assessments from the summer following senior year of high school through senior year of college. The sample included more women (66%) than men and a majority were Caucasian (59%). We employed latent growth curve modeling to examine self-reported AO and delay to self-defined first intoxication as predictors of the frequency of heavy drinking and problems during year 4 of college, as well as changes in these alcohol-related outcomes from high school through college. Results: An earlier AO and/or a shorter delay was associated with increased frequency of heavy drinking and problems during senior year of college. Although individuals with a later AO and/or a longer delay were at lower risk overall, they showed larger increases in heavy drinking and problems over time. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between AO and delay to first intoxication. Delay accounted for unique variance in drinking outcomes relative to AO, and the effects of AO were stronger when delay was included as a predictor variable. Results are discussed with regard to potential mechanisms through which an early age of intoxication may confer unique risk relative to AO. The implications for cross-cultural differences in risk for problems attributable to early drinking are also discussed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1991-1999 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 2012 |
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Keywords
- Adolescent Alcohol Use
- Age of Onset
- Alcohol-Related Problems
- Emerging Adulthood
- First Intoxication
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Toxicology
Cite this
Age of First Use and Delay to First Intoxication in Relation to Trajectories of Heavy Drinking and Alcohol-Related Problems During Emerging Adulthood. / Morean, Meghan E.; Corbin, William; Fromme, Kim.
In: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, Vol. 36, No. 11, 11.2012, p. 1991-1999.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Age of First Use and Delay to First Intoxication in Relation to Trajectories of Heavy Drinking and Alcohol-Related Problems During Emerging Adulthood
AU - Morean, Meghan E.
AU - Corbin, William
AU - Fromme, Kim
PY - 2012/11
Y1 - 2012/11
N2 - Background: Using alcohol at an early age is a well-documented risk factor for heavy drinking and the experience of a range of negative social and health consequences. However, it remains unclear if early consumption of any alcohol or early drinking to intoxication confers the greatest risk. Methods: Age of onset (AO) and delay to first intoxication (delay) were examined as independent predictors of heavy drinking and the experience of alcohol-related problems (problems) in a sample of incoming college freshmen (n = 1,160) who completed biannual assessments from the summer following senior year of high school through senior year of college. The sample included more women (66%) than men and a majority were Caucasian (59%). We employed latent growth curve modeling to examine self-reported AO and delay to self-defined first intoxication as predictors of the frequency of heavy drinking and problems during year 4 of college, as well as changes in these alcohol-related outcomes from high school through college. Results: An earlier AO and/or a shorter delay was associated with increased frequency of heavy drinking and problems during senior year of college. Although individuals with a later AO and/or a longer delay were at lower risk overall, they showed larger increases in heavy drinking and problems over time. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between AO and delay to first intoxication. Delay accounted for unique variance in drinking outcomes relative to AO, and the effects of AO were stronger when delay was included as a predictor variable. Results are discussed with regard to potential mechanisms through which an early age of intoxication may confer unique risk relative to AO. The implications for cross-cultural differences in risk for problems attributable to early drinking are also discussed.
AB - Background: Using alcohol at an early age is a well-documented risk factor for heavy drinking and the experience of a range of negative social and health consequences. However, it remains unclear if early consumption of any alcohol or early drinking to intoxication confers the greatest risk. Methods: Age of onset (AO) and delay to first intoxication (delay) were examined as independent predictors of heavy drinking and the experience of alcohol-related problems (problems) in a sample of incoming college freshmen (n = 1,160) who completed biannual assessments from the summer following senior year of high school through senior year of college. The sample included more women (66%) than men and a majority were Caucasian (59%). We employed latent growth curve modeling to examine self-reported AO and delay to self-defined first intoxication as predictors of the frequency of heavy drinking and problems during year 4 of college, as well as changes in these alcohol-related outcomes from high school through college. Results: An earlier AO and/or a shorter delay was associated with increased frequency of heavy drinking and problems during senior year of college. Although individuals with a later AO and/or a longer delay were at lower risk overall, they showed larger increases in heavy drinking and problems over time. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between AO and delay to first intoxication. Delay accounted for unique variance in drinking outcomes relative to AO, and the effects of AO were stronger when delay was included as a predictor variable. Results are discussed with regard to potential mechanisms through which an early age of intoxication may confer unique risk relative to AO. The implications for cross-cultural differences in risk for problems attributable to early drinking are also discussed.
KW - Adolescent Alcohol Use
KW - Age of Onset
KW - Alcohol-Related Problems
KW - Emerging Adulthood
KW - First Intoxication
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84868200103&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84868200103&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01812.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01812.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 22897715
AN - SCOPUS:84868200103
VL - 36
SP - 1991
EP - 1999
JO - Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
JF - Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
SN - 0145-6008
IS - 11
ER -