Alcohol misuse and depressive symptoms both contribute substantially to the global disease burden and adolescence is considered a high-risk period for the onset of these problems [1]. Furthermore, alcohol problems and symptoms of depression in adolescence can be precursors to problems during adulthood [2]. The relationship between depression and alcohol use, particularly during adolescence, is not consistent across studies [3], and has been less well characterized than the link between externalizing symptoms and alcohol problems [4]. Increased understanding of the aetiological basis for the association between depression and alcohol use phenotypes could provide further information on the benefits of interventions targeting alcohol use or depression during the critical adolescent developmental period.
