In terms of prevention and early intervention, research suggests that female adolescents with AOD-related problems often are referred to treatment later than their male counterparts and at a time when their problems are more severe (Del Boca et al. 1995). In part, this delay may result from the tendency of people to presume that girls are less likely to become involved in AOD use. It also may stem, however, from the tendency of young women to internalize their problems, making their alcohol abuse much less visible than that of their male counterparts. Parents, teachers, and others who interact with adolescents should be trained to identify “internalizers” who are predisposed to alcohol-related problems (e.g., these adolescents often are withdrawn or moody) as well as those who have more obvious behavioral problems.
