On the discriminative validity of a family history of problem drinking index with a national sample of young adults.

OBJECTIVE

This study used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) to test hypotheses relevant to the discriminative validity of a trichotomous family history of problem drinking index. Early onset substance use, adolescent antisocial behaviors and lifetime alcohol and illicit drug use were used as criterion variables.

METHOD

Prospective, longitudinal survey data from over 9,000 young adult subjects (ages 23-30 yrs) in the NLSY archive were used to evaluate several hypotheses regarding familial risk of alcoholism.

RESULTS

General support for discriminant validity was indicated, as the high density familial risk group differed from the moderate (paternal or maternal problem drinking only) and low-risk groups with regard to a somewhat earlier onset of marijuana use, higher levels of antisocial behaviors in adolescence (especially substance-related offenses and property offenses) and higher levels of lifetime marijuana and cocaine use. The high- and moderate-risk groups differed from the low-risk group with regard to alcohol use and alcohol-disordered problems (e.g., negative consequences, dependency symptoms).

CONCLUSIONS

Risk associated with high familial problem-drinking density includes an earlier onset of illicit substance use, higher rates of lifetime marijuana and cocaine use and more frequent adolescent antisocial behavior. The general pattern of the findings was robust for men and women and suggests that high-risk status may reflect both a high genetic loading and a high environmental risk loading.