The pattern of mediation between sociability and problems was very similar to that observed with consumption for both boys and girls, with the exception that reduced friendship problems were not a significant mediator to problems in boys and that reduced emotional stability was an additional mediator between sociability and alcohol problems in girls (Fig. 2). The mediating variables accounted for a slightly higher percentage of the total effect in girls than in boys (35% compared with 24%). The path coefficients suggested that extraversion and sensation-seeking were somewhat more strongly associated with alcohol consumption than with problems.
