Findings for age were more complex. Older age predicted a greater likelihood of consistent low risk drinking, but younger age predicted a greater likelihood of abstinence to low risk drinking. There were significant interactions between age, baseline drinking, and negative mood symptoms. Among older individuals, greater baseline drinking was associated with a higher probability of low risk drinking than mixed heavy and low risk drinking. Thus, for individuals with greater baseline drinking, older age may improve the likelihood of low risk drinking. Older individuals with greater negative mood symptoms were more likely to transition from heavy drinking to abstinence and were less likely to follow a low risk drinking pattern. Future research, perhaps with an older adult sample, could further investigate whether more negative mood symptoms interfere with low risk drinking and whether greater baseline drinking might actually portend a higher likelihood of low risk drinking.
