Adolescent temperament was assessed using the Revised Dimensions of Temperament Survey, while the parent-adolescent relationship was assessed with the Friends and Family Questionnaire. Structured diagnostic interviews were used to evaluate AUD symptoms. A series of multiple regression analyses was performed to test the mediational model separately for males and females. For both genders, difficult temperament was a significant predictor of AUD symptoms and was negatively related to parent-adolescent relationship quality. For males, the relationship between difficult temperament and AUD symptoms was mediated by parent-adolescent relationship quality. For females, however, difficult temperament and parent-adolescent relationship quality independently predicted AUD symptoms of adolescents. Results suggest alcohol abuse prevention and treatment programs should consider the role of basic temperament characteristics in pathological drinking and the possibility that parent-adolescent relationship quality may be a key point of intervention. 50 references and 5 tables