Risk Factors Associated with Alcohol Abuse in College Students

A survey of 989 college students was conducted to investigate risk factors--gender, family history of alcohol abuse, family history of depression and mental illness, childhood hyperactivity, and antisocial personality-associated with alcohol abuse. Two hundred ninety-four subjects (29%) completing the alcohol subscale of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule met lifetime DSM-III criteria for alcohol abuse. Utilizing a loglinear model, expression of childhood and early adolescent deviant behavior, family history of depression, and gender were shown to be significantly associated with alcohol abuse among students.