title: Age at first drink moderates the impact of current stressful life events on drinking behavior in young adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent evidence from animal experiments and studies in humans suggests that early age at first drink (AFD) may lead to higher stress-induced drinking. The present study aimed to extend these findings by examining whether AFD interacted with stressful life events (SLE) and/or with daily hassles regarding the impact on drinking patterns among young adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 306 participants of an epidemiological cohort study, AFD was assessed together with SLE during the past 3 years, daily hassles in the last month, and drinking behavior at age 22. As outcome variables, 2 variables were derived, reflecting different aspects of alcohol use: the amount of alcohol consumed in the last month and the drinking frequency, indicated by the number of drinking days in the last month.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Linear regression models revealed an interaction effect between the continuous measures of AFD and SLE on the amount of alcohol consumed. The earlier young adults had their first alcoholic drink and the higher the levels of SLE they were exposed to, the disproportionately more alcohol they consumed. Drinking frequency was not affected by an interaction of these variables, while daily hassles and their interaction with AFD were unrelated to drinking behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings highlight the importance of early age at drinking onset as a risk factor for later heavy drinking under high load of SLE. Prevention programs should aim to raise age at first contact with alcohol. Additionally, support in stressful life situations and the acquisition of effective coping strategies might prevent heavy drinking in those with earlier drinking onset.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Dorothea
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blomeyer
authors.forename: Arlette F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Buchmann
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jennen-Steinmetz
authors.forename: Martin H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Banaschewski
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laucht
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult