Research identifies how genes, personality, and environment combine to influence the onset and progression of teen drinking
Risk for early alcohol use is shaped by more than just peer pressure or curiosity, according to a new Rutgers study.
The study, currently available in Translational Psychiatry , used data from nearly 12,000 youth in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study to examine how genetic predispositions, personality traits, brain structure and function, and environmental conditions contribute to when adolescents take their first sip of alcohol, have their first full drink, and how quickly they progress from one to the other.
Alcohol use during adolescence is associated with a heightened risk for long-term mental health challenges, substance use disorders, and cognitive impairments. Understanding the drivers of early initiation is crucial for developing effective prevention efforts—particularly for those most at risk.
“We found that risk for early alcohol use was not just related to key environmental factors like parental substance use, but was also associated with individual characteristics like genetics and impulsive personality. No one type of information provided the whole picture,” said senior author Sarah Brislin, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a member of the Rutgers Addiction Research Center.
The study found that genetic risk for behavioral disinhibition, impulsive personality traits, and prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol were key predictors of early sipping. However, the transition from a first sip to a full drink was driven more by individual characteristics—especially sensation-seeking and genetic predispositions—than by environmental context.
“Environment, particularly home environment, plays a key role in when kids have their first exposure to alcohol; however, once they have their first sip, individual factors like genetic predisposition and sensation seeking personality features seem to be the driving whether they progress to additional milestones.” Brislin said.
The study used polygenic risk scores (PGS), structural and functional neuroimaging data, psychological assessments, and environmental data to assess three key milestones in early alcohol use:
- Age at first sip
- Age at first full drink
- Speed of progression between the two
The researchers applied advanced statistical models to determine which risk factors were uniquely predictive of each milestone.
This is one of the first studies to simultaneously examine the unique contributions of genetic, neural, psychological, and environmental risk factors in early alcohol use. Notably, genetic risk factors—particularly those related to behavioral undercontrol—remained predictive even when other variables were accounted for, underscoring the promise of integrating genetic and behavioral screening in prevention science.
Brislin notes that these findings can inform early interventions that target high-risk youth before alcohol use begins. Programs that address impulsivity, strengthen school engagement, and promote positive parenting may be especially beneficial.
The study was co-authored by Rutgers researchers Danielle Dick, Ph.D., Maia Choi, Fazil Aliev, Peter Barr, Megan Cooke, Sally I. Kuo, and Jessica E. Salvatore. The full study is currently available at Translational Psychiatry.
View the study: https://rdcu.be/euXWd