[Method of early detection of adolescents and young adults at high risk for alcoholism for the purpose of primary prevention of alcoholism].

Using the Pathocharacterological Diagnostic Inventory (PDI) a total of 264 teenagers were examined to identify among 15-17-year-olds a group at a high risk of beginning to drink alcohol beverages before coming of age. A follow-up study in two years revealed that 16% of them became alcohol abusers. Comparison of the results obtained with the help of the PDI in abstainers versus alcohol abusers has demonstrated that a high risk group is readily identified using a special scale of psychological liability to alcoholization.