In summary, using data from the large epidemiological ALSPAC cohort, we find that childhood temperament prior to age 5 predicts adolescent alcohol use and problems at age 15.5 years. Two uncorrelated and distinct temperament styles—children who are rated as consistently sociable through age 5 and children who are rated as having consistent emotional and conduct difficulties through age 5—both show elevated rates of alcohol problems at age 15.5. Each of these early temperament styles is associated with different personality factors in mid-adolescence: the association between emotional and conduct difficulties and alcohol problems is mediated through decreased conscientiousness and reduced emotional stability, and the association between sociability and alcohol problems is mediated through sensation-seeking and extraversion. The pathways by which sociability was associated with alcohol consumption/problems also showed some gender-specificity: Boys showed additional mediation through friendship characteristics and girls showed additional mediation through reduced conscientiousness and decreased emotional stability. Our findings support multiple pathways to alcohol consumption and problems in adolescence, with some of the mediating factors being sex specific. Prevention programming should take into account the multiple routes by which
