title: Directional relationships between alcohol use and antisocial behavior across adolescence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The co-occurrence of alcohol use and antisocial behavior is well established, but different hypotheses exist regarding the direction of effects between the 2 behaviors. We used longitudinal data to examine the directional relationship between the 2 behaviors across adolescence.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-lagged model was applied to longitudinal data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. The sample used in the present study consisted of 4,354 females and 3,984 males. Alcohol use and antisocial behavior were measured with multiple items collected at 12, 13, 15, and 17 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both alcohol use and antisocial behavior were highly stable, as evidenced by highly significant autoregressive paths. Regarding the cross-lagged paths, neither behavior was predictive of the other during early adolescence (between ages 12 and 13). During mid-to late adolescence (from ages 13 to 17), antisocial behavior was predictive of subsequent alcohol use. Alcohol use was predictive of antisocial behavior in late adolescence (between ages 15 and 17), although this relationship was mainly driven by males and was not significant in the female subgroup.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The result generally supported the direction from antisocial behavior to alcohol use, especially during mid- to late adolescence. However, there was also a suggestion that the direction of relationship between the 2 behaviors changes across adolescence. The results highlight the importance of considering developmental stages to understand the directional relationships between the 2 behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.
authors.forename: Seung-Bin
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heron
authors.forename: Fazil
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aliev
authors.forename: Jessica E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.forename: Glyn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Macleod
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hickman
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maughan
authors.forename: Kenneth S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kendler
authors.forename: Danielle M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Dick
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: ALSPAC; Alcohol Use; Antisocial Behavior; Directional Relationship; Longitudinal Design