Drinking levels and problem drinking among junior and senior high-school students.

Abstract

An attempt was made to provide a foundation for the examination of the validity and utility of the definitions and classification schemes used in the RTI [Research Triangle Institute] study of adolescent alcohol use in the USA. The measures used in the study were designed to obtain the data necessary for meaningful classification of drinking levels and problem drinking. These measures are apparently valid indicators of the behaviors assessed: indicators that will be useful to researchers and policymakers. The MDL [main drinking level] classification delineates the extent of alcohol use among junior and senior high-school students. The MDL was based on previous quantity-frequency typologies. More comprehensive analyses are being conducted to further establish the construct validity of the MDL, to further compare results using MDL to those with other classification schemes and to consider possible modifications of the MDL scheme used in the initial report. Problem drinking indicates significant involvement in alcohol misuse. Adolescents classified as problem drinkers represent a group of teenagers whose behavior differs from others on a number of dimensions of interest to researchers, educators, alcoholism prevention and treatment personnel, policymakers and parents.