Predicting Early Alcohol Use in Teens

The answers to a few questions can help doctors figure out which teens are most likely to drink alcohol at an early age, a study suggests. The study included 820 teens, ages 14 through 17. All were part of a larger study of alcoholism risk in families. They were interviewed using a standard format related to alcoholism risk. They also completed a questionnaire related to behavior. The teens were asked at what age they had their first whole drink of alcohol (such as a full can of beer). Those who said they already had a complete drink of alcohol were more likely to say their best friends drank. They were also more likely to have family members with alcohol problems. And they were more likely to have social, conduct and school problems. The journal Pediatrics published the study January 7.