Exploring the Role of Childhood ADHD and Family- and Neighborhood-Based Socioeconomic Status in the Initiation and Consumption of Alcohol in Women

Using a 16-year longitudinal sample of ethnically diverse women with and without carefully diagnosed childhood ADHD, we (a) investigated the association between SES (family income vs neighborhood affluence), age of alcohol initiation, age of first intoxication, and adult drinking severity; and (b) tested whether these associations were different across ADHD diagnostic status. Key findings included the following: (1) Girls from lower-income family initiated drinking and also first got intoxicated at a younger age than those from higher-income families; (2) Girls with childhood ADHD started drinking around the same time as did the neurotypical counterparts but got intoxicated for the first time at a significantly later age; (3) Girls who initiated drinking early were more likely to engage in more severe drinking behaviors (i.e., drinking heavily and getting drunk more often). Furthermore, women who lived in more affluent neighborhood in adulthood also tended to drink more and getting drunk more often; (4) For girls with lower childhood family income, those with ADHD started drinking and getting intoxicated much later than their neurotypical counterparts; in higher family income households, girls initiated use and got drunk around the same age regardless of their ADHD status. Findings suggest potential avenues for enhancing alcohol interventions via focus on promoting parental/family engagement strategies in schools and communities and developing mentoring programs for youth from lower-income families.