Childhood temperament and adult alcohol habits: a prospective longitudinal study from age 4 to age 36.

The purpose of the present study was to relate childhood temperament dimensions at age 4 to alcohol habits until young middle age. Data were derived from the male cohort (n = 122) in a larger prospective longitudinal project. At age 4, a professional psychologist rated the child's behavior on 30 aspects of temperament, which, in turn, were factor-analyzed and cross-validated to other measures of personality at ages 10, 25 and 36. The five extracted factors at age 4 were correlated to the level of consumption at age 18, frequency of intoxication at age 25, lifetime alcohol problem up to age 36 and registered drug-related criminality. There was a positive correlation between a factor denoted Extravert/outgoing and lifetime alcohol problems and a negative correlation between a factor denoted Social reactivity and alcohol problems. Although all correlations were modest (typically ranging between .20 and .30), the findings have theoretical implications and these were further discussed.