Not Early Drinking but Early Drunkenness Is a Risk Factor for Problem Behaviors Among Adolescents from 38 European and North American Countries (original) (raw)

2013, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research

Background: Many studies have reported that the earlier the age at first drink the higher the later drinking levels and related problems. However, unless adolescents proceed into drunkenness, it is unclear why consuming small quantities at early age should lead to later problems. The present study investigates the link between age at first drink and problem behaviors (smoking, cannabis use, injuries, fights, and low academic performance) among 15year olds who did and did not proceed into drunkenness. Among those with drunkenness experience, we tested whether age at first drink predicted problem behaviors over and above the age at first drunkenness. Methods: Multilevel structural equation models were estimated based on a sample of 44,801 alcohol-experienced 15-year olds from 38 North American and European countries and regions who participated in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) cross-national survey. Results: Overall, there was a significant association between age at first drink and all five problem behaviors. However, this was the case only among those with drunkenness experiences but not among those never drunk. Among the former, age at first drunkenness was a strong predictor for all five problem behaviors, but time from first drink to first drunk did not predict problem behaviors. Conclusions: Not early alcohol initiation but early drunkenness was a risk factor for various adolescent problem behaviors at age 15, i.e. there was not consistent relationship for the time before the first drunkenness (i.e. since first drinking). Besides targeting early drinking, particular efforts are needed to impede early drunkenness to prevent associated harm in adolescence and beyond.

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