We studied a sample at risk for the development of alcohol use disorder on the basis of family history. Initial assessment was done on all subjects in the age range 12–21. These subjects have been followed over time with assessments every two years for up to 10 years. The present report evaluates the relationship of comorbid externalizing and internalizing disorders to age of onset of an AUD in a group of adolescents/young adults at high risk for AUDs. We also compare the onset of two alcohol milestones (age of first drink, age of first regular drinking) in groups divided by AUD severity. We hypothesized that persons developing AUDs following the onset of externalizing and internalizing disorders would show earlier onset than those without those baseline disorders. We also hypothesized that more severe AUDs would show an earlier onset of alcohol-related developmental milestones such as age of first drink and age of first regular drinking. The present report is one of the first we are aware of that tracks the development of AUDs in the context of multiple comorbid disorders in
