Alcohol abuse and dependence are most often diagnosed during early adulthood when substance use peaks; however, it is fundamental to consider age and development when conceptualizing AUDs because the precursors that place individuals at risk for such clinical trajectories emerge and expand throughout adolescence. Unfortunately most treatment models and interventions utilize information gathered from an adult population and thus fail to include developmentally appropriate subject matter and skills (Brown, Mott, & Myers, 1990; Brown & Ramo, 2006). Such universal treatment approaches may ignore important gender differences in the values, beliefs, and behaviors associated with alcohol use through adolescence into young adulthood.
