Trajectories of alcohol use and association with symptoms of depression from early to late adolescence: The Norwegian Longitudinal Health Behaviour Study

Abstract

The findings from the present study suggest that early onset developmental trajectories of alcohol use are associated with depression. Therefore, broad assessment and interventions targeting both alcohol and depression may be indicated among early onset alcohol users, especially if they report increasing levels of consumption. [Skogen JC, Knudsen AK, Hysing M, Wold B, Sivertsen B. Trajectories of alcohol use and association with symptoms of depression from early to late adolescence: The Norwegian Longitudinal Health Behaviour Study. Drug Alcohol Rev 2016;35:307-316].

Latent developmental trajectories of episodic heavy drinking from adolescence to early adulthood: Predictors of trajectory groups and alcohol problems in early adulthood as outcome

“…Episodic heavy drinking (EHD) in young people is a serious health and social problem due to its relation to numerous adverse outcomes, including violence, casualties, injuries, unsafe sex and alcohol dependence [1][2][3]. For the average young person in Norway, the frequency of EHD increases from early to late adolescence, peaks in the early twenties and decreases and stabilises thereafter [4][5][6][7]. Such an inverted V shape in EHD has been observed in other countries as well [8].…”

“…First of all, some adolescents never start to drink or never begin to engage in EHD. Those who do engage in EHD differ with respect to age of onset and change in EHD frequency over time [7,[9][10][11][12]. During the past 20 years, we have witnessed the emergence of methodological approaches [e.g.…”

“…With a few exceptions (New Zealand [9] and Australia [13]), previous studies outside of Europe are based on samples from the USA. We have identified three studies based on European data that have used LCGA: one Dutch [12], one Finnish [14] and one Norwegian [7]. The Dutch study [12] found four trajectory groups based on the number of glasses a sample of adolescent had consumed during the previous week, measured at age 13 to 17.…”

“…This study did not, however, investigate predictors of trajectory groups. The Norwegian study [7] used data for a cohort observed annually from age 13 to 18 years (except for age 17 years). LCGA of probability of drinking to intoxication at least once in the last 6 months identified four EHD trajectories ('intermediate onset', 'late onset', 'early onset' and 'early onset and stable').…”

Ungdom og alkohol - normalutvikling og senere problemer

“…De ulike utviklingsforløpene finner man igjen enten man måler alkoholforbruket i totalkonsum, i frekvens eller om man måler alkoholvaner som kan anses å vaere mer risikofylte, slik som å drikke seg beruset. For eksempel fant en norsk studie som fulgte ungdommer fra de var 13 til de var 18 år at de som hadde et stabilt lavt alkoholforbruk, målt i frekvens av forbruk samt beruselsesdrikking, var den minste gruppen, mens de fleste ungdommene hadde en økning i forbruket igjennom ungdomstiden (Skogen, Knudsen, Hysing, Wold, & Sivertsen, 2015). Det er altså variasjon i utviklingen av alkoholbruk i ungdomstiden, selv om det vanligste er at bruken øker.…”