title: Early alcohol experiences and adolescent mental health: a population-based study in Taiwan.
abstract: In this study, we examine whether adolescent emotional and behavior problems vary by history of early alcohol experiences. A national sample of 6974 alcohol-naïve and 4337 alcohol-experienced youths aged 15-18 years were identified within the 2004 National Survey of Illegal Drug Use among Adolescents in Taiwan. Four alcohol experience groups were created based on recency and frequency of alcohol use: (1) naïve; never drank alcohol, (2) trial use; first and only consumption of alcohol occurred more than 6 months preceding the assessment, (3) past use; alcohol used on more than one occasion but had not had a drink in the 6 months prior to the assessment, and (4) current use; consumed alcohol more than once and drank within the 6 months preceding the interview. A Chinese adaptation of the Youth Self-Report (YSR) assessed eight behavior syndromes: withdrawn, anxious/depressed, somatic complaints, social problems, thought problems, attention problems, rule-breaking behavior, and aggressive behavior. Multivariate response models (GLM/GEE) were used to examine the relationship of alcohol experiences with emotional and behavior problems. Alcohol-using youth were more likely to experience several specific emotional or behavioral syndromes than their alcohol-naïve counterparts. For example, youth with a history of alcohol use had an estimated 30-60% increase in the odds of experiencing items within the aggressive behavior syndrome as compared with alcohol-naïve youth. The type of early alcohol involvement in adolescence may exert differential effects on emotions and behaviors expressed across and within syndromes; these may warrant distinctions in informing etiological research and preventive efforts.
authors.affiliation: Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Research, National Health Research Institutes, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chuan-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Carla L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Storr
authors.forename: Gung-Mong
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Su-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chuhsing Kate
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.forename: Wei J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology