There are obviously many possible approaches to prevention research from the point of view of the individual alone. The three chosen by the committee are illustrative of the interactive perspective it believes is most fruitful for further research, that is, the individual in the context of his or her environment, both the specific drinking milieu and the broader developmental setting which may include alcohol drug rehab centers of the maturing person.

The Life-Course Developmental Perspective

The first approach, the life-course or life-span developmental view of individual vulnerability, attempts to link age to drinking behavior and to specify the pathways and interactions that both predict and cause drinking problems especially if they end up in alcohol drug treatment. Researchers have used this concept to construct analytical frameworks to investigate individual vulnerability to alcohol problems and, in particular, the heavy use of alcohol. Recently, researchers have suggested that certain interactions between risk factors in an individual (e.g., neurophysiological variables, temperament, behavior) and factors in his or her environment (e.g., life events, family, peers, work, alcohol treatment) contribute to the development of alcohol problems. Identifying those risk factors is important for devising effective prevention programs.

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