title: The developmental psychopathology of alcohol use and alcohol disorders: research achievements and future directions.
abstract: The last 25 years have seen significant advances in our conceptualization of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders within a developmental framework, along with advances in our empirical understanding that have been potentiated by advances in quantitative methods. These include advances in understanding the heterogeneity of trajectories of alcohol outcomes; new insights about early childhood antecedents, and adolescence and emerging adulthood as important developmental periods for alcohol outcomes; a more nuanced understanding of the influences of developmental transitions, and their timing and contexts; a greater appreciation for the importance of considering multiple levels of analysis (including an increasing number of genetically informative studies); a continuing focus on studying multiple pathways underlying alcohol outcomes; and an increasing focus on studying the effects of alcohol exposure on future development. The current paper reviews these advances and suggests directions for future study.
authors.affiliation: Arizona State University.
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chassin
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri.
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Sher
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hussong
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Curran
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D012106:Research / Q000639:trends*; D012307:Risk Factors