Aggression Linked to Alcohol Abuse in Teens

A new study shows that teens with high levels of aggression are more likely to suffer from drinking problems than their peers.

According to researchers at the University of Eastern Finland, depression and anxiety - which are considered as risk factors for drinking problems in adolescents - actually aren't linked to alcohol abuse.

In the study, around 60 percent of the population reported alcohol abuse. Surprisingly, alcohol use was common among teens below 15 years of age as at least 50 percent of them said that they had used alcohol.

The researchers said that early alcohol-use increases the chances of developing mental health problems and alcohol dependence later in life.

Their study also found that early menarche and parental divorce were chief risk factors for alcohol abuse in girls.

"The findings raise questions about a possible change in the behaviour of adolescent girls and their vulnerability during adolescent social and emotional development," said Eila Laukkanen, Professor and Chief Physician of Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital.

The study is published in the Journal of Adolescence.

Underage drinking problem isn't just an issue in Finland, but also in several other countries. A related study has found that the number of male teens who consume alcohol has increased by three-fold in the past few decades.

In the U.S., underage drinking is defined as consuming alcohol before the of age 21 years. According to estimates, around 70 percent of all teens in the country have had at least one drink by 18 years of age.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says that teens don't drink alcohol often, but when they do they drink more  than adults. More often than not, teens indulge in binge drinking, consuming more than five servings of alcohol at one time.

The recent study from Finland shows that certain behavioral traits might be linked to increased risk of underage drinking.