According to the findings of a recent study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, drinking alone in childhood is a strong predictor of problematic alcohol consumption in later life.

The study included 4464 teenagers and 4561 young adults and followed them up for 17 years from 1981 to 2019. About 25% of teenagers and 40% of young adults reported drinking alone overall.

The findings demonstrated that drinking alone was a unique predictor of binge drinking and future alcohol use disorder (AUD) at age 35. Adolescents who drank alone had a 35% higher chance of experiencing AUD symptoms at age 35 compared to those who only drank in social situations.

The odds ratio was much greater for young adults between the ages of 23 and 24. Compared to peers who solely drank in social situations, young adults who drank alone had a 60% higher chance of acquiring AUD symptoms at age 35. Further research revealed that solitary drinkers as teenagers and young adults also experienced worse AUD symptoms when they approached the age of 35.

The study concluded that beyond other risk factors, adolescent and young adult solitary alcohol use was linked to an increase in adult AUD symptoms; especially among adolescent females who drank alone. Adolescent female solo drinkers had an 86 % higher risk of developing AUD symptoms at age 35 than did their male counterparts, who had an 8 % higher risk. (Medscape - Jul 25, 2022)