Drinking-induced blackouts among young adults: results from a national longitudinal study

Amnesia drinking episodes among a national probability sample of 12,686 young adults are examined at two points in their lives: when they were ages 19 to 26 in 1984 and 23 through 30 in 1988. Prospective blackout patterns of early onset, late onset, chronicity, and remission were analyzed using logistic regression statistical models. Results indicate that the relative risk of short-term memory loss while drinking is significantly associated with increased alcohol consumption, age of drinking onset, the number of alcoholic relatives, and, principally, with the individual's capacity to control drinking behavior. It is concluded that the blackout remission rate observed among a substantial proportion (68%) of young adults may not fit the progressive, irreversible model of alcoholism.