title: Disinhibition mediates the relationship between ADHD and problematic alcohol use in college students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High-risk alcohol use among college students has received substantial attention in recent years, and intervention and prevention efforts have increased dramatically. The current study examined ADHD as a risk factor for problematic drinking among college students. Trait disinhibition and difficulty stopping a drinking session were examined as potential mechanisms through which ADHD is associated with alcohol-related problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 100 full-time undergraduate students with (n = 48) and without (n = 52) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) ADHD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students with ADHD had higher rates of alcohol-related problems and alcohol-use disorders across multiple measures. Both disinhibition and difficulty stopping a drinking session independently mediated the relationship between ADHD and negative consequences of alcohol use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that college students with ADHD are at increased risk for alcohol-related problems. Trait disinhibition and difficulty stopping a drinking session represent mechanisms of high-risk alcohol use among college students with ADHD.
authors.affiliation: Child Mind Institute maryrooneyphd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, College Park, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Chronis-Tuscano
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, College Park, USA.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huggins
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ADHD; alcohol use; college students; disinhibition