Stability of heavy episodic drinking in Chinese- and Korean-American college students:: Effects of ALDH2 gene status and behavioral undercontrol

Objective: A previous cross-sectional study showed that, among individuals of Chinese and Korean descent, possession of ALDH2*2 alleles was associated with protection against alcohol dependence, whereas conduct disorder was associated with increased vulnerability to dependence. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the roles of ALDH2 and behavioral undercontrol (a temperamental trait that is associated with conduct disorder) in stability of heavy episodic drinking. Method: Chinese- and Korean-American college students (N= 336; 51% female), who had initiated alcohol use before study enrollment, provided information on drinking habits during their freshman and sophomore years. Participants were classified as (1) stable nonheavy drinkers, (2) regressors, (3) progressors, or (4) stable heavy drinkers. Results: Participants with ALDH2 *2 alleles were more likely to be classified as stable nonheavy drinkers than as progressors (z = -2.49, p =.0 13). Higher levels of behavioral undercontrol were associated with a greater probability of being classified as a stable heavy drinker relative to a stable nonheavy drinker (z = 2.26, p =.024). Stable heavy drinkers reported the most alcohol-related problems, whereas progressors reported more problems than either regressors or stable nonheavy drinkers, particularly at Year 2. Conclusions: Elevated behavioral undercontrol appears to predispose Asian-American college students to increased frequency of heavy drinking, whereas ALDH2*2 may act as a protective factor. The degree of alcohol consumption observed among participants with ALDH2*2 alleles is consistent with previous findings showing that, although their presence may be protective, it does not preclude heavy drinking episodes.