An alcohol involvement typology for adolescents: convergent validity and longitudinal stability

This study used data from over 1,000 adolescents to evaluate the convergent validity and longitudinal stability of a five-group drinker typology (abstainers, light, moderate, heavy and problem drinkers). Drinker types were compared on a range of variables from the domains of childhood behavior problems, drinking motives, early substance use onset, family and peer relations.

Prospective, longitudinal survey data were collected from 10th and 11th graders and from their primary caregivers (principally mothers) to evaluate hypotheses about correlates of adolescent substance use.

General support was indicated for the distinctiveness of the adolescent drinker types. Moderate drinkers differed systematically from light drinkers and abstainers on several variables (e.g., disinhibitory behavior while drinking, percentage of friends who drink); heavy drinkers differed from moderate drinkers (e.g., percentage of friends who use drugs, illicit drug use); and problem drinkers differed from heavy drinkers (e.g., childhood behavior problems, coping motives for drinking, percentage of friends who use drugs, disinhibitory behavior while drinking). Over 50% of problem drinkers and 62% of abstainers remained similarly categorized across a 1-year interval.

The heterogeneity of alcohol-related behaviors among adolescents may be usefully represented via a drinker status typology that incorporates data on alcohol consumption, heavy-drinking episodes and adverse consequences. Different correlates for the drinker types highlight the need for a more distinctive approach to the prevention and treatment of adolescent drinking behaviors.