Frequency, course and correlates of alcohol use from adolescence to young adulthood in a Swiss community survey.
BACKGROUND
Few studies have analyzed the frequency of alcohol use across time from adolescence to young adulthood and its outcome in young adulthood. A Swiss longitudinal multilevel assessment project using various measures of psychopathology and psychosocial variables allowed for the study of the frequency and correlates of alcohol use so that this developmental trajectory may be better understood.


METHODS
Alcohol use was studied by a questionnaire in a cohort of N = 593 subjects who had been assessed at three times between adolescence and young adulthood within the Zurich Psychology and Psychopathology Study (ZAPPS). Other assessment included questionnaire data measuring emotional and behavioural problems, life events, coping style, self-related cognitions, perceived parenting style and school environment, and size and efficiency of the social network.


RESULTS
The increase of alcohol use from early adolescence to young adulthood showed only a few sex-specific differences in terms of the amount of alcohol consumption and the motives to drink. In late adolescence and young adulthood, males had a higher amount of alcohol consumption and were more frequently looking for drunkenness and feeling high. Males also experienced more negative consequences of alcohol use. A subgroup of heavy or problem drinkers showed a large range of emotional and behavioural problems and further indicators of impaired psychosocial functioning both in late adolescence and young adulthood.


CONCLUSIONS
This Swiss community survey documents that alcohol use is problematic in a sizeable proportion of youth and goes hand in hand with a large number of psychosocial problems.
Steinhausen
Hans-Christoph
HC
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Neumuensterallee 9, CH 8032 Zurich, Switzerland. hc.steinhausen@kjpd.uzh.ch
Eschmann
Susanne
S
Heimgartner
Annina
A
Metzke
Christa Winkler
CW
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010465:Perception; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology