Patterns of use and their relationship to DSM-IV abuse and dependence of alcohol among adolescents and young adults.

First use and initiation of regular alcohol use has been frequently found to start in adolescence. However, only few studies have also investigated how many adolescents proceed during ages 14-24 to harmful drinking or even develop alcohol use disorders. This paper - using the EDSP baseline sample of 3,021 community respondents from the Munich area - examines the prevalence of use, abuse and dependence and investigates the dose/disorder relationship. Alcohol abuse was reported by 9.7% of respondents and alcohol dependence by 6.2%. Men were more likely to report an alcohol disorder than women, prevalence also increased in the older age cohorts. However, even among 14- to 17-year-olds a substantial proportion of respondents report high and regular consumption rates, the occurrence of abuse and dependence criteria and even a full dependence syndrome. There is however only a moderate association between average number of standard drinks consumed with the risk of developing abuse and dependence. In light of the substantial rates among adolescents and young adults the validity of DSM-IV alcohol disorder criteria is discussed.