Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the characteristics of adolescents with and without a history of problematic alcohol use, who are treated in the emergency department (ED) for an alcohol-related problem. METHODS: Three hundred seventeen adolescents presenting to the ED after an alcohol-related incident were divided into 2 groups based on whether their score on the Adolescent Drinking Inventory reached the clinical cutoff on problematic drinking, and compared regarding current drinking, depression, and risk-taking behaviors. RESULTS: Adolescents who reached the clinical cutoff on the Adolescent Drinking Inventory were older and reported more frequent drinking, greater depressed mood, and more risk-taking behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Of the adolescents presenting to the ED with an alcohol-related incident, those with a positive history of problematic drinking represent a particularly high-risk subgroup.