Familial drinking history as a predictor of alcohol and drug consumption among adolescent children.

Data concerning adolescent alcohol and drug using behaviors, as well as the drinking patterns of their parents, were obtained from a sample of 1,380 New Jersey youth born between 1961 and 1969. Initially tested between 1979 and 1981 at ages 12, 15 or 18, these subjects were retested between 1982 and 1984 (retest rate = 95%). We wish to describe the early differences in patterns of alcohol and drug use between offspring of families exhibiting a positive history of alcoholism (FH+) and those without such backgrounds (FH-). FH+ subjects are compared to three other groups from varying parental backgrounds (heavy drinking nonalcoholic parents, high stress families and symptom-free families) as regarding problem use. Several indicators of problem use (e.g., early onset of intoxication, frequent intoxication, escape drinking) were not found to be more prevalent among FH+ than FH- adolescents. Analyses indicate, however, that FH+ adolescents are more likely than FH- adolescents from symptom-free families to report experiencing problems/consequences related to both drinking and drug taking.