Alcohol abuse linked to traumas

Adolescents who abuse or are dependent on alcohol are more likely to have expeprienced a traumatic event such as physical or sexual abuse than those who aren't addicted to alcohol, according to a Pittsburgh study of 256 youths.

While many previous studies have been based on retrospective adult accounts or have lacked control groups, the Pittsburgh researchers studied adolescents and set up a control group, comparing alcohol-dependent teens to teens without alcohol use disorders.