M. Bidautrussell et al., GENDER DIFFERENCES IN LIFETIME PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS BETWEEN SONS ANDDAUGHTERS OF ALCOHOLIC MOTHERS - A PILOT-STUDY, Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research, 18(2), 1994, pp. 244-247
Lifetime prevalence of selected psychiatric disorders was assessed in
24 independent pairs of adult siblings (brother-sister) with an alcoho
lic mother, using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Adult females wer
e as likely as adult males to have had one or more lifetime diagnosis
of psychiatric disorder. Lifetime prevalence of affective disorders wa
s the same in male and female siblings. Although not statistically sig
nificant, compared with their sister, men were 3 times more likely to
have had a diagnosis of alcohol abuse/dependence, and 3.5 times more l
ikely to have had a diagnosis of general anxiety disorder. When compar
ed with their brother, women were 1.66 times more likely to have had a
diagnosis of drug abuse/dependence, 3 times more likely to have had a
diagnosis of panic disorder, and 6 times more likely to have been dia
gnosed with phobia; however, these differences were not significant.