Automatic processes in at‐risk adolescents: the role of alcohol‐approach tendencies and response inhibition in drinking behavior

Abstract

Automatically-activated cognitive processes are associated with the drinking behavior of young, at-risk adolescents. It appears that alcohol-approach tendencies are formed shortly after the initiation of drinking and particularly affect the drinking behavior of adolescents with relatively weak inhibition skills. Implications for the prevention of problem drinking in adolescents are discussed.