AN ADOPTION STUDY OF DSM-IIIR ALCOHOL AND DRUG-DEPENDENCE SEVERITY

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of gen etic factors in alcohol and drug dependence at various levels of DSM-I IIR psychoactive substance dependence severity. Method: One-hundred-an d-ninety-seven adoptees (95 case adoptees with biological parental alc oholism, drug dependence or antisocial personality disorder and 102 co ntrol adoptees) were interviewed for the presence of alcohol abuse or dependence and drug abuse or dependence using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule-DIS IIIR. Results: Adoptees with five or more DSM-IIIR crite ria for alcohol dependence demonstrated evidence of a genetic effect u sing this adoption paradigm (odds ratio = 2.3, 95% C.I. (1.1, 4.9)). A doptees with one or more DSM-IIIR criteria for drug dependence demonst rated a genetic effect (odds ratio = 2.4, 95% C.I. (1.3, 4.4). Conclus ions: This study suggests genetic factors influence the risk for alcoh ol and drug dependence at different thresholds of severity as determin ed by DSM-IIIR symptom severity count.