Risk domains associated with an adolescent alcohol dependence diagnosis

Aims. To determine the contribution of familial, interpersonal, academic an d early substance use factors to relative risk for an alcohol dependence (A D) diagnosis in adolescents. Methods. Information on 619 adolescents and th eir 390 sets of biological parents was obtained using the adolescent versio n of the Child Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism (C -SSAGA) and the adult counterpart of this instrument, the Semi-Structured A ssessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism (SSAGA). The C-SSAGA elicits a wid e range of environmental, social, and psychiatric diagnostic information. S pecific domain scale scores associated with an adolescent AD were computed, and generalized estimating equations (GEE) modeling was used to determine the odds ratio (relative risk) of the specified risk domains for an alcohol dependence diagnosis. Findings. Risk factors for a DSM-III-R AD diagnosis included being at least 16 years of age, as well as negative parent-child i nteractions, school and personal-related difficulties (including the presen ce of an externalizing or internalizing DSM-III- R non-alcohol-related diag nosis), and early experimentations with a variety of substances. Conclusion s. An array of familial, interpersonal, academic and early substance use fa ctors were strongly associated with adolescent AD. Given the findings of th is study, further research to determine temporal relationships that might i nfluence the onset of adolescent alcohol dependence is warranted.