Increasing levels of alcohol consumption during human adolescence map directly onto the emergence of alcohol use disorder (AUD; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) symptomology during this same developmental period. To that end, although low during early adolescence (ages 12–14), rates of diagnosable AUDs start approaching those of adulthood during late adolescence (age 18+). In the current iteration of the DSM, AUDs are broadly defined as problem drinking patterns that, over the course of one year, cause distress, interfere with daily life and are manifested by at least two clinical symptoms (e.g., drinking more or for longer than intended, interference with school or work, use in hazardous situations; American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
