total volume consumed are important characteristics for evaluating alcohol abuse and its development into alcohol dependence (Heather et al., 1993; Lancaster, 1994). These drinking characteristics have also been used to develop different typologies and/or drinking profiles for alcoholics (Babor et al., 1992; Cloninger, 1987; Conrod et al., 2000; Epstein et al., 1995; Lesch and Walter, 1996; Moss et al., 2007; Prelipceanu and Mihailescu, 2005; Windle and Scheidt, 2004; Zucker, 1987). Importantly, the effectiveness of some treatments appears to depend upon where an individual ranks on the continuum of a respective typology (Cherpitel et al., 2004; Epstein et al., 1995; Dundon et al., 2004; Johnson et al., 2003). Therefore, age-of-onset and pattern of drinking have significant predictive validity for a life-time diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence and, in some cases, can predict the effectiveness of treatments targeting these disorders.
