%0 Journal Article %J Drug Alcohol Depend %D 2012 %T The effects of general and alcohol-specific peer factors in adolescence on trajectories of alcohol abuse disorder symptoms from 21 to 33 years. %A Lee, Jungeun O %A Hill, Karl G %A Guttmannova, Katarina %A Bailey, Jennifer A %A Hartigan, Lacey A %A Hawkins, J D %A Catalano, Richard F %K Adolescent %K Adolescent Behavior %K Adult %K Alcohol Drinking %K Alcoholism %K Disease Progression %K Female %K Humans %K Longitudinal Studies %K Male %K Peer Group %K Risk Factors %K Social Behavior %X

BACKGROUND: The present study examines whether general and alcohol-specific peer risk factors from age 10 to 18 are associated with longitudinal patterns of adult alcohol abuse disorder symptoms from age 21 to 33.

METHODS: Using growth mixture modeling, trajectory groups of alcohol abuse disorder symptoms from age 21 to 33 were identified. We then examined the relationships between the identified trajectory groups of alcohol abuse disorder symptoms and respondents' own adolescent binge drinking, a general negative peer factor, and an alcohol-specific peer factor (having drinking peers) in adolescence using pseudo-class Wald Chi-square tests, and multinomial logistic regressions.

RESULTS: Four different trajectory groups of alcohol abuse disorder symptoms were identified: persistor group (3%), decreaser group (23%), escalator group (3%), and a no-disorder group (71%). Bivariate Wald Chi-square tests indicated that adolescent binge drinking behavior and general and alcohol-specific peer factors differentiated the adult alcohol abuse trajectory groups. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression showed that the general negative peer factors distinguished those who later persisted in alcohol abuse from those who desisted (i.e., persistor group vs. decreaser group) during young adulthood, even after adjusting for respondents' adolescent binge drinking. On the other hand, associating with drinking peers did not distinguish these trajectories.

CONCLUSION: Alcohol-specific peer influences appear to influence alcohol abuse disorder symptoms in the early 20s, while general negative peer exposure in adolescence increases in importance as a risk factor for alcohol abuse disorder symptom persistence in the late 20s and the early 30s.

%B Drug Alcohol Depend %V 121 %P 213-9 %8 2012 Mar 1 %G eng %N 3 %R 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.08.028 %0 Journal Article %J J Stud Alcohol Drugs %D 2012 %T Examining explanatory mechanisms of the effects of early alcohol use on young adult alcohol dependence. %A Guttmannova, Katarina %A Hill, Karl G %A Bailey, Jennifer A %A Lee, Jungeun O %A Hartigan, Lacey A %A Hawkins, J D %A Catalano, Richard F %K Adolescent %K Adolescent Behavior %K Adolescent Development %K Age Factors %K Age of Onset %K Alcohol Drinking %K Alcoholism %K Child %K Female %K Humans %K Longitudinal Studies %K Male %K Young Adult %X

OBJECTIVE: This study examined potential explanatory mechanisms linking childhood alcohol use onset and chronicity of adult alcohol dependence by testing the following three competing hypotheses: (1) a marker hypothesis, where early onset of alcohol use may be simply a marker for other factors that have been linked to both age at initiation and adult alcohol problems; (2) a compromised development hypothesis, where early alcohol initiation may interfere with adolescent development, which can lead to later alcohol problems; and (3) an increased substance use hypothesis, where early onset of alcohol use may lead to increased substance use in adolescence and, in turn, chronic alcohol dependence.

METHOD: Data came from a longitudinal community sample of 808 participants recruited at age 10 in 1985. Participants were followed through age 33 in 2008 with 92% retention.

RESULTS: Childhood onset of alcohol use (before age 11), when compared with initiation during adolescence, predicted an increased chronicity of adult alcohol dependence, even after accounting for the hypothesized confounds from the marker hypothesis. In addition, adolescent compromised functioning did not mediate this relationship between early alcohol use and chronicity of adult dependence (Hypothesis 2), nor did adolescent substance use (Hypothesis 3). However, compromised functioning and substance use in adolescence predicted increased chronicity of alcohol dependence in young adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS: Prevention efforts as early as the elementary grades should focus on delaying the onset of alcohol use and reducing substance use in adolescence as well as improving school functioning, reducing adolescent problem behaviors, and targeting adolescent peer networks.

%B J Stud Alcohol Drugs %V 73 %P 379-90 %8 2012 May %G eng %N 3