The development of comprehensive theories regarding the determinants ofvulnerability toward drinking problems depends in part on longitudinal evidencelinking psychosocial precursors to clinically-relevant problem consequences. Inan investigation of some of the more promising psychosocial precursors ofproblem vulnerability, we evaluated the long-term predictive effects of adolescentcognitive motivations for alcohol use and sensation seeking on a wide variety ofadult drinking-problem consequences including driving while intoxicated (DWI).Results indicated that the Cognitive Motivation factor was a significant, independent, nine-year predictor of a factor of Drinking-Problem Consequences. Over this same period, certain cognitive motivation and sensation seeking indicators independently predicted DWI, and the Sensation Seeking factor independently predicted Cognitive Motivation and Alcohol Use factors. The significant, independent effects on problem-drinking variables demonstrated that psychosocial vulnerability appeared across a range of consumption levels. These findings have important implications for counseling practices and the identification of teenagers of high-risk for drinking problems and DWI in later adulthood
