Introduction
- There has been limited research on the association of ADHD and early (i.e., high-school) age of onset of alcohol use.
- Results of previous research suggest that conduct problems at age 8 are associated with increased risk of alcohol-related problems at age 15 (Lynskey and Fergusson, 1995);
- However, the relationship between attention deficit behaviors and alcohol problems at age 15 was not significant.
- In contrast, Biederman et al. (1998) suggested that ADHD was associated with earlier age of onset of psychoactive substance use disorder relative to controls (20.6 versus 22.1 years), but their study did not focus on high-school age drinking.

Valerie S. Knopik, Pamela A.F. Madden, and Andrew C. Heath