Midlife-Onset Alcohol Dependence: Testing Prospective and Adult Correlates in a Longitudinal Cohort Study

We tested early-life and adult correlates of midlife-onset alcohol dependence in a five-decade longitudinal cohort study. Individuals with midlife-onset alcohol dependence were characterized by a family history of alcohol dependence; mental-health problems and lack of constraint in adolescence; and internalizing disorders, life-functioning impairments, and low preparedness for aging in adulthood.