Multivariate genetic analysis of the causes of temperance board registrations. In all Swedish male-male [correction of male-female] twin pairs born 1926-1949.

BACKGROUND

The Temperance Boards in Sweden registered individuals for three reasons: public drunkenness, driving under the influence of alcohol and committing a crime in connection with alcohol. We wanted to ascertain whether these three forms of alcohol-related problems result from similar or different genetic and environmental risk factors.

METHOD

We conducted a trivariate twin analysis of these three causes of registration in all male-male [corrected] twin pairs of known zygosity born in Sweden, 1926-1949 (n = 5177 twin pairs).

RESULTS

Prevalences of registration for public drunkenness, drink-driving and alcohol-related crime were, respectively, 9.0, 3.6 and 4.0%. The best-fitting model had one general genetic and one general familial-environmental factor with specific genetic risk factors for drink-driving and specific familial-environmental risk factors for alcohol-related crime.

CONCLUSIONS

The three causes for alcohol registration in Sweden largely reflect the same genetic and environmental risk factors. Estimated heritabilities were similar for the three forms of registration. However, specific genetic risk factors exist for drink-driving and specific familial-environmental risk factors for alcohol-related crime. Genetic factors are somewhat less important and familial-environmental factors more important for public drunkenness than for drink-driving and alcohol related crime.