To determine how AAU scores related to the construct of pathological alcohol use, we compared alcohol use composite scores between those with and without a lifetime history of a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) alcohol use disorder (AUD; abuse or dependence). The lifetime presence of a DSM-IV AUD at this or prior assessments was established using a best-estimate approach that incorporates both child self-reported AUD symptoms and parental report on the child (see Iacono, Carlson, Taylor, Elkins, & McGue, 1999, for interviewing and diagnostic procedures). Using this approach, 15.9% (n=154) of adolescents met definite criteria for DSM-IV alcohol abuse, 7.3% (n=73) of adolescents met definite or probable (definite minus 1 symptom) criteria for alcohol dependence, and 17.3% (n=167) of adolescents met criteria for either abuse or dependence. AAU scores at age 18 were about 1.5 SD higher in those with an AUD (n=167, M=1.25, SD=0.58) compared to those who never met criteria (n=799, M= -0.24, SD=0.88), F(1,964)=440.99, p<.001. These results also confirm that a significant fraction of the youths in this study were problem drinkers.
