title: Alcohol consumption in high school adolescents: frequency of use and dimensional structure of associated problems.
abstract: The goal of this paper is to present data regarding the occurrence of alcohol consumption and the relative prevalences and the factorial structure of DSM-IV symptoms of alcohol abuse/dependence in a sample of 1507 older (14-18 years) community adolescents. Participants were diagnostically assessed at two time points, approximately 1 year apart. Three-quarters of the sample had tried alcohol. Boys in general had greater usual frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption than girls and began drinking at an earlier age; girls with a diagnosis of alcohol abuse/dependence had a significantly earlier mean age of alcohol disorder onset and were more likely to have a relapse of alcohol disorder. However, gender differences in symptom prevalence were non-significant. Seventeen per cent of the sample had at least one alcohol abuse/dependence symptom. The most frequent symptoms included reduced activities because of alcohol use, consumed more than intended, and tolerance. Eight of the 11 symptoms made a unique contribution to the prediction of diagnosis in a multiple logistic regression analysis. Components analysis supported the general division of symptoms into the categories of abuse and dependence.
authors.affiliation: Oregon Research Institute, Eugene 97403-1983, USA.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Lewinsohn
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rohde
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Seeley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009922:Oregon / Q000453:epidemiology; D012940:Social Problems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*