A heavy drinking composite was calculated at each wave (approximately ages 18, 25, 29, 35) by averaging three items that assessed frequency of heavy drinking in the past 30 days at each assessment. Two items measured heavy drinking in terms of alcohol's subjective effects: (i) “How many times did you get a little high or light-headed on alcohol?” and (ii) “How many times did you get drunk (not just a little high) on alcohol?” The third items assessed heavy drinking: “How many times have you had five or more drinks at a single setting?”
