Principal Investigator: Frances Wang, PhD
Funding Source: Dean's Faculty Advancement Award

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a serious and costly disorder that often emerges in adolescence. A key feature of AUD is loss of control (LOC) over drinking, which is described as an irresistible urge to continue drinking once initiated. Unlike some AUD symptoms that only appear after long-term heavy drinking (e.g., withdrawal, health problems), many adolescents have reported experiencing LOC early in their drinking. As a result, LOC may serve as a critical early warning sign of future alcohol-related problems. Unfortunately, current tools used to measure LOC are not well suited for adolescents. The Advancing Survey Knowledge-Teenagers (ASK-Teen) Study aims to improve how we assess LOC over alcohol use in adolescence. The study will include a racially diverse group of 14- to 19-year-olds who report recent heavy drinking. Findings from this study could help improve the assessment of LOC among youth at risk for AUD.

To learn how to get involved in the study, or for more information, please email wangfl@upmc.edu.