is largely a social phenomenon in adolescence. Experimentation in adolescence is normative. More than a decade ago, a longitudinal study of drug use among adolescents followed from preschool through age 18 (Shedler and Block, 1990) showed that adolescents who had never tried any drug by age 18 were more likely to be anxious, emotionally constricted, and lacking in social skills. Adolescents who engaged in some drug experimentation were actually the best adjusted (Shedler and Block, 1990). This phenomenon may be reflected in the association we observed in males between increased sociability and reduced friendship problems (which was then associated with increased consumption but not problems). It may also be influencing the inverse relationship observed between increased conduct, emotional difficulties and decreased alcohol consumption. It is possible that the difficult temperamental style evidenced by children with emotional and conduct difficulties leads to less opportunity to engage in normative alcohol consumption with peers. This, coupled with emotional distress and problems, may lead to increased alcohol-related problems, even while these characteristics are related to decreased normative adolescent experimentation/consumption. Accordingly, some children may be at higher risk for developing problems through temperamental problems evident early in life, while other adolescents may engage in risky
