We utilized latent class assignment to form the groups used in a series of ANCOVAs to assess differences among the three classes in age at initiation of drinking, alcohol use variables, impulsiveness, sensation seeking, aggression, perceived stress, life satisfaction and drinking motive scores. This step in the analysis was used to test hypotheses two and three, that classes could be distinguished by binge drinking and personality traits and/or drinking motives. Age at initiation of drinking was adjusted for sex, alcohol use variables were adjusted for sex and age at initiation, drinking motives and personality traits were further adjusted by frequency of weekly binge drinking. The purpose of holding these variables constant was to attempt to isolate differences due to class membership and partial out effects of sex, duration of drinking history and heaviness of drinking. The distributions of all continuous variables were examined prior to conducting the main analyses in order to gauge normality. Drinks per week, drinks per drinking day, number of binge drinking events per week, the aggression subscale variables, coping motives for drinking and the motor impulsiveness
