Trajectories of Adolescent Alcohol Use: The Effect of Individual and Social Risk Factors by Race

This study examined racial differences across African American, Hispanic, and White participants in the impact that individualand social risk factorshave on drinking behaviortrajectories.Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health was usedfrom 7-9^th graders (N = 4,372).Participants reported on frequency of drinking across the four waves and risk factors at wave 1. Growth mixture modeling revealed four trajectories for alcohol use that includedAbstainers, Early Starters, Late Starters, and De-Escalators. Social and individual indicators of risk were differently predictive of group membership to the problematic drinking trajectories. Differences across racial groups suggested that a lack of future orientation may be a salient risk factor for African Americanand Hispanicyouth's alcohol use, and peer alcohol use may be a salient risk factor for White youth's alcohol use. The findings of this study suggest that there may be individual differences in risk factors that provide insight for prevention efforts.