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Age of First Use and Delay to First Intoxication in Relation to Trajectories of Heavy Drinking and Alcohol-Related Problems During Emerging Adulthood
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 08/16/2012
Morean ME et al. – The findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between Age of onset (AO) and delay to first intoxication. Delay accounted for unique variance in drinking outcomes relative to AO, and the effects of AO were stronger when delay was included as a predictor variable. Results are discussed with regard to potential mechanisms through which an early age of intoxication may confer unique risk relative to AO. The implications for cross–cultural differences in risk for problems attributable to early drinking are also discussed.
