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Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Is depressed mood in childhood associated with an increased risk for initiation of alcohol use during early adolescence?
Addictive Behaviors Volume 33, Issue 1, January 2008, Pages 24-40

Using prospective data, we tested the hypothesis that early depressed mood was associated with an increased risk for initiation of alcohol use. In addition, we examined whether these associations varied according to the youths' report that alcohol consumption occurred with or without parental permission.

Higher level of early depressed mood was associated with an earlier and increased estimated risk of initiating alcohol use without parental permission for boys but not for girls. Depressed mood was not associated with alcohol use initiation that occurred with parental sanctions.

Findings from the current study support the hypothesis that among urban youth, early depressed mood influences the initiation of alcohol consumption without parental permission for boys.

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